French Quartet face Disciplinary action

Premier league duo Samir Nasri and Hatem Ben Arfa are among the four players who are facing disciplinary action from the French Football Federation for misbehaving during the just concluded Euro 2012 Championships in Poland and Ukraine. Jeremy Menez and Yann Mvila complete the quartet.

The French Euro campaign was marred by disciplinary issues and it invariably affected their performance in the tournament. They lost their final group game against Sweden 2-0 and were knocked out with the same scoreline by the eventual tournament winners Spain in the quarter finals.

“Hatem Ben Arfa, Yann Mvila, Samir Nasri and Jeremy Menez are summoned to appear before the disciplinary committee”. “I don’t like to punish by nature and I don’t like to deliver a hasty opinion, but our players should be punished or sanctioned. “I don’t want them thinking they are victims. They are not” FFF president Noel Le Graet disclosed in a news conference;

Le Graet also disclosed that the individual bonus money of 100,000 euros  due to the entire squad for reaching the last eight in Poland and Ukraine had been “frozen”.

Former Arsenal winger Samir Nasri insulted a reporter after the loss to Spain in the quarter finals and Jeremy Menez took out his own on captain Hugo Lloris.

For Ben Arfa his was to get into a dressing room squaring-up with Coach and former French Center back Laurent Blanc.

Disciplinary issues have marred the French National team in their last two tournament outings. It can be remembered of how the players boycotted training because former Chelsea forward Nicholas was sent home for insulting Raymond Domenech. The French Football body then suspended all 23 members of the World Cup squad for their next game.

Blanc’s regime had been impressive with the team going 22 matches unbeaten before they were defeated by the Swedes.

Rennes midfielder Yann Mvila’s involvement in the disciplinary issues might also have cost him his dream move to Arsenal. Rumours that the gunners were closing in on his signing has died down since the incident; it might as well be effectively over as Arsenal manager Frenchman Arsene Wenger would not want such characters in the team. Mvilla refused to shake Blanc’s hand after the manager substituted him in the game against Spain.