Men in Blue - an enigma, Indian or French

The Euro Cup this year has seen Les Blues head back without even crossing the first hurdle. Boasting of players of the quality of Thierry Henry, Frank Ribery and Nicolas Anelka, France had been pegged as fourth likely to win by the bookies. Most of the pundits had given them a real chance of repeating their heroics of Euro 2000. However, it all came crumbling down - a stalemate with Romania followed by humiliating losses to the Dutch and Italy saw the 'Men in Blue' board an early flight to Paris. The French team's outing was a disgrace, coming so soon after the stellar performance two years ago at the World Cup. More than anything else, the fact that a team which was once considered the best in the world could not even make it to the top eight bracket in Europe would have really pinched the French fans. In a way it reminds you of the Indian cricket team and their vacillating performances.

I was supporting France to win, as I have been since 1998. Disheartened by the result, I got tired of reading about Coach Raymond Domenech being singled out for the blame, reactions from former players (including the magical Zizou) and the rest of the postmortem stuff, so I turned the page to find news of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the 1983 Cricket World Cup winning Indian team. It was then that the similarities struck me.

India won the World Cup in 1983. Although they made it to the semifinals in the next which was played on home soil, their performances in the next three were nothing short of disappointing. Then, a mediocre start to the 2003 World Cup and a tame loss to Australia in just the second group game saw the fans lose faith and even turn to vandalism directed at some of the players. A back-to-the-wall effort resulted and the resurgent Indian team stormed (mostly on the back of the genius and brilliance of a certain Sachin Tendulkar, who was toying with the bowlers with consummate ease) into the finals at Johannesburg. Unfortunately I can't add 'and the rest is history', as the team lost. Come World Cup 2007, there were big expectations from the players, but the Caribbean Calypso ended without even starting as India capitulated first against Bangladesh and then Sri Lanka to bow out of the tournament with heads hung in shame. Coach Greg Chappell was the first to take the hit (as in the case of France's Raymond Domenech this time round). As more time ensued, the seniors in the team's ranks were waylaid one by one (Sachin and Kumble the only ones still maintaining their respective places of choice). The youngsters have now taken over the mantle with a bright start, adding the first ever T20 World Cup to their kitty.

For France, euphoric wins in the World Cup and the Euro Cup at the turn of the century were followed by a surprise exit in the group stages of the next World Cup in Japan and South Korea. No one gave them as much as a chance in 2006, but a gutted Zinedine Zidane (who missed out on most of the action four years ago because of injury) weaved his magic to take France to the doorstep of victory, where he (rather like Sachin getting out early against Australia in the final of 2003) faltered at the last hurdle. He was sent-off for the now infamous head-butt, and France lost to the Azurri on penalties after having a hand on the trophy. And now, two years later, the abysmal show at the Euro.

Perhaps it's time for the French to re-think their players' composition and take some tough decisions, rather like the Indian team management had to. Makelele has retired, but the rest of the ageing midfield (including Patrick Viera) and defense line also has to be replaced with fresh young legs. Domenech's aversion to Trezeguet saw him sit out most of the tournament when he should have been given the chance to use his predatorial instincts to take the team forward. There were so many tactical errors which have to be corrected, but let's take a look at the bigger picture. It's time to prepare for the next World Cup (2010), as Zidane himself said in an interview, and like the Indian cricket team is already in the process of doing - by putting out the greenhorns to face the fire and sharpen their claws.

I am sure all Indian cricket fanatics would be more than able to show empathy to fans of the French football team. Let's just hope that the players of both these teams can add some consistency to their repertoire and showcase their skills when they're needed most. Even if they can't get themselves to do that, I, along with many others like me, will go on shouting my lungs out in their support (even more so in desperation) - because that's what we sports fans are all about.