France are stuttering through their World Cup qualifiers and may need to go through via a play-off. The man they're blaming is their eccentric and controversial manager, so who is this Raymond the Renegade?
The Intellectual
French radio journalist Eugene Saccomano on his appointment in 2004: "When he took the reins of the national team I was very astonished. He goes to the cinema, reads books and does theatre: he is an intellectual at the head of the national team."
The Hardman
Nicknamed the "Leg-Breaker" during his playing days with Lyon and Strasbourg, Domenech had a reputation as a no-nonsense defender. "I had a moustache like Charles Bronson's plus bushy eyebrows and from that my reputation was born. But it's true that I liked playing the character of a nasty man. It allowed me to unsettle our rivals."
The Actor
Domenech used to be a keen actor with a small theatre company and, according to France Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes, once took his under-21 side, which at the time included Zidane, Makelele and Thuram, to see Samuel Beckett's Endgame ahead of a big match. He even claims to use theatre techniques in his coaching: "I write down the big lines of my training, then I improvise. I cut the match into different scenes and I put the actors/players in the situation."
The Astrologer
The French media have long criticised the importance Domenech places on astrology in team selection. As an Aquarius he avoids Scorpios and has a mistrust of Leos. Scorpio Robert Pires was apparently left out of France's 2006 World Cup squad because of his star sign, while William Gallas, a Leo, should count himself lucky to be involved. His manager remains on guard: "When I have got a Leo in defence, I've always got my gun ready, as I know he's going to want to show off at one moment or another and cost us."
The Romantic
Following France's humiliating exit from Euro 2008 with just a single point, Domenech felt that the immediate post-match interview was a good time to propose to his partner, TV presenter Estelle Denis. He later apologised for his "moment of humanity." He explained: "It was just a thought. Everyone was so sad and I thought to myself, life has its beautiful moments. You have to tell people you love them." Miraculously, he kept his job.
