美聯社 德國
面臨再一次過早出局的尷尬境地，法國隊的隊員們有兩個選擇：直面球隊的問題，把問題擺在桌面上解決，要麼就趁早回國。
維利 薩尼奧爾説，能使法國隊免遭第一輪即被淘汰的是大家不分資力、面對面開誠布公地激烈討論。他説“我們進行了激烈的爭論，討論了很多問題。”
這種內部整頓奏效了，而且在冠軍決賽前，法國隊呈現出一種前所未有的團結。
薩尼奧爾説：“我想我們找到了解決問題的關鍵。現在我們的爭論少了。”
半決賽中戰勝葡萄牙，法國隊一片歡騰，隊員們在球迷前一起跳舞慶祝，這場面令人想起了８面前法國奪冠時的情景。
鏈結：http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-wcup-francearguments&prov=ap&type=lgns
原文：Only heated arguments saved France team from early World Cup exit
By JEROME PUGMIRE, AP Sports Writer
July 8, 2006
HAMELN, Germany (AP) -- Facing another embarrassing exit from the World Cup, France's players had a choice: Face up to the team's problems and get them out in the open, or go home early.
Defender Willy Sagnol said only frank, heated, face-to-face discussions where everyone spoke, regardless of rank or experience, saved the team from first-round elimination.
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"There were heated arguments," Sagnol said Friday. "A lot of topics came up."
The house-cleaning worked, and rarely has a French team looked so united ahead of Sunday's World Cup final against Italy in Berlin.
"I think we found the keys," Sagnol said. "Now we are having less arguments. We have found the right formula and it's up to us to continue for at least another 90 minutes."
Wednesday's semifinal win over Portugal saw explosions of joy, and players dancing together in front of delirious French fans -- just like eight years ago. Television images showed Sagnol sitting on the dressing room steps, wrapped in a tricolor flag and sobbing with relief.
Back in Paris, fans flooded the Champs-Elysees, bellowing out La Marseillaise, and singing Gloria Gaynor's anthem "I Will Survive" with renewed vigor. Gaynor's song was adopted by the 1998 World Cup-winning team, but her lyrics also chillingly fit the current side.
France did survive -- barely.
Having stumbled to opening draws against Switzerland and South Korea, France had to win its final game against lightly regarded Togo to avoid a repeat of the 2002 World Cup -- where it went out in the first round without scoring a goal.
The tension in the French camp became apparent.
"Everyone wanted to pull in the same direction, but obviously with different ideas. It's normal to have arguments," Sagnol said. "When you've had two draws before facing Togo, it's certain that all is not right, that there are still things to improve."
Whether it's 13-cap Eric Abidal, or 121-cap Lilian Thuram, "everyone says what they think" and there "are no cliques of two or three players in the current squad, Sagnol said.
That is light years from the 2002 World Cup or 2004 European Championship, where feuds and bickering undermined the team. Neither 2002 coach Roger Lemerre nor 2004 boss Jacques Santini tackled the issue and it crippled both squads.
Sagnol praised current coach Raymond Domenech for breaking down barriers between the generations and encouraging an environment of totally open discussion.
"We're lucky enough to have a coach who lets us express ourselves, who made us face up to our responsibilities," Sagnol said. "He's made us masters of our own destiny.
"What was said between us will never be known."
However, Sagnol did concede the players were almost destroyed by nerves at the thought of another first-round exit. Finally, the 2-0 win over Togo "liberated" the team.
"It was hard to play that match, as we knew what could happen," Sagnol said. "But it helped us evacuate the ghost of the last World Cup. It was maybe a bigger weight than we thought."
Although the ghosts of 2002 are forgotten, all is not forgiven. Sagnol says the stinging criticism the team received still leaves the players bitter.
"We can't forget that," Sagnol said. "I have not forgotten who wrote these things. This matter will be settled one day or another."
Before the tournament, Sagnol had a finger-pointing argument with French fans at Stade de France when Les Bleus were booed and jeered in a warmup match against Mexico.
So, sadly, if France beats Italy on Sunday, the joy only will be shared with a select few "who have encouraged us and believed in us from the start."
Some wounds within the French team, then, are still too deep to heal.
Updated on Saturday, Jul 8, 2006 2:28 am EDT
作者-丁曉晨-北京第二外國語學院英語系
責編：佟杉杉