You think the question placed to him is: “
Gilles, do u want to play this tie?” I highly doubt the coaching staff will use such approach to ask for players’ participation. First of all, I don’t think this question was asked yesterday when Gael’s hurt, it was asked way before then, when Gael was a choice. I think the question placed to him was:
“Gilles, what is your assessment of yourself in regard to this tie?” so his answer: he’s not the best choice because other guys are better (no need to tell you Gael and Richard’s records on clay, in 09 and 10, Jo was 16-9, Mika was 9-5, Benny was 11-14, Gilles was 9-12) . He needs more time to prepare on clay (07/08/09, his first tournament of the year on clay was Monte Carlo, he lost all his first clay match. He always starts slowly on clay. So to me, these are true assessment, based on facts, hardly excuses. And the fact is, he has no place to hide anyway, you think Forget and staffs haven’t figured out these stat themselves to know that Gilles’ a bit weak on clay atm? I think Roux said that now to make sure ppl understand that excluding Gilles is not because the coaching team (or Forget) is biased against him (since there’s reason to believe that Forget is not fond of Gilles, based on what he said about Gilles on the paper), but it's because Gilles is no good on clay and even Gilles himself agrees.
Then again, I could be wrong. I'm giving Gilles benefit of a doubt, because he is a smart boy and will know better to tell his boss that he can't be bothered to be of the team's service unless Gilles decides to commit professional suicide in regard to his DC career.
I like Simon, but I feel this is a bit bizarre. Though I am not keen on Forget, it is up to him to select and not for the players to declare themselves out of the game. What if Richard's injury won't be healed by then? Then Simon could hardly avoid a selection, unless Forget puts his faith again on Llodra. On clay though, this would be more than ridiculuous.
Gilles didn’t declare himself out of the game, no need to paint him as the bad guy yet. Besides, Forget is the boss and we know by experience that if Forget asks a player to play, he cannot refuse, or Forget will no doubt express his displease to the press. If Gilles is defying his captain, you can bet that he will face certain consequences in the future. As for Forget's choice, not only that Gilles has done no better than Mika on clay in the past 2 years, Gilles' also not a double choice, there is really a lot against him to be chosen for a clay tie.
Why not if he is such a team player? Richard was the alternate THREE times last year.
Again, Gilles hasn’t said that he won’t be an alternate if he was asked, so wait until he says that before you condemn him for not being a team player. I know you want to believe that Richard is the most selfless member of the French DC team. Maybe he is, but the cynic in me don’t think that he did that solely for the team. Richard, like Gilles, are both in the doghouse of Forget. If Richard had refused to be an alternate on the team, what will Forget think? This same situation will be applied to Gilles too, if he ever refused to take one for the team, you think Forget won’t take note of that? They will lose a tons of brownie points for sure, and they are already in the doghouse, imagine what’s their chance of getting into the team again? (I can imagine Forget going to the press to criticize his players for daring to refuse him though. Richard already had enough bad press due to the DC team, I don't think he can afford any more). French team has so many talents and as long as Jo and Gael and Mika are still there, and Benny as a double partner, there are lots of choices for alternate. So for them to do the alternate duty, I think they do it because they think that would help them to get on the real team the next time. To think that no self-interest is served is a bit naïve IMO.