Coupet happy to be back

Gregory Coupet is pleased to be back at Lyon following his World Cup nightmare.

Gregory Coupet is pleased to be back at Lyon following his World Cup nightmare.

The Lyon number one travelled to Germany with more than a little hope that he would be named France's first choice.

However, coach Raymond Domenech opted for Fabien Barthez instead - which led to a huge row and Coupet even walking out on the squad at one point, only to return.

"Now I am very fine and very happy to resume the season with Lyon," Coupet told L'Equipe.

"It is not pretentious to say I had good reasons to believe I would be number one during the World Cup.

"I achieved a good season with l'OL, for the fourth consecutive season I have been named best keeper of Ligue 1, and I have participated in the last French team qualifiers.

"I have fulfilled my part of the contract. I would not start to talk and activate networks to make sure I played in the World Cup! That is not me, I am just a football player.

"When Domenech told me his choice, I was so disgusted that I had to take care at what I could say. I could have collapsed and said anything to a journalist.

"It was just the straw that broke the camel's back. When I left, I had a lot of phone calls with people that pushed me to go back.

"At first, I told my mother. She didn't agree with my behaviour, telling me I have not been educated that way. My lawyer told me to take care of the consequences of my departure. So I came back. Once again I had nothing against Barthez. It was not him who has been dishonest with me.

"Now if they call me I will go back to the French team. I am proud of that team, that shirt and what it represents."