The lawmakers stated the soon-to-retire Domenech attempted to blame the media at the hearing and this led lawmaker Jean-Francois Cope to state that Domenech’s testimony was undignified.

However, most of the politicians had nicer things to say about Jean-Pierre Escalettes, the French Football Federation president who said he will quit this week. Escalettes also spoke during the National Assembly’s commission on culture and education’s hearing.

The hearing took place even though FIFA warned the French government about interfering in the soccer team’s affairs. FIFA president Sepp Blatter stated earlier that the French national team could be suspended from soccer if the country’s President Nicolas Sarkozy and/or any other politicians get involved in the operations of the federation. However, French lawmakers said it’s not Blatter’s business to dictate to them how to go about their affairs.

Lawmaker Eric Ciotti said it’s not FIFA’s place to threaten France’s lawmakers as they live in a democracy and parliament has the right to hold hearings. He added that the issue was more than just football as the country’s honour is also on the line.

Lawmaker Jacques Remiller said the entire meeting was disappointing and there should be more resignations by members of the football federation as there are some deep-rooted problems there.

The team, which lifted the World Cup in 1998 and lost in the final in 2006, drew one game and lost the other two in this year’s tournament in South Africa for a last place finish in Group A. The players refused to train after striker Nicolas Anelka was booted off the team for hurling insults at Domenech. The French manager then added more fuel to the fire as he wouldn’t shake hands South African manager Carlos Alberto Parreira after losing 2-1 to them.

It was reported that Domenech placed the blame on a French newspaper which published the details of Anelka’s outburst. Domenech said he wouldn’t shake Parreira’s hand as Parreira supposedly made some uncomplimentary remarks about France’s team to reporters.

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Blanc, now aged 44, was in the World Cup winning France side of 1998, although he didn’t play in the final itself having been sent off in the semi final win over Croatia, somewhat controversially, as a result of an altercation between himself and Slaven Bilic.

He was capped an impressive 97 times with France, and scored 16 goals, a very good record for a defensive player.

His playing career included Auxerre, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Marseille and he ended his playing career with Manchester United, where he retired in 2003. Manchester United won the Premiership title that season, although aging Blanc only made 15 appearances with the team and retired before the season ended.

As a manager, he has had just as much success, having taken Bordeaux to the domestic cup and league double in France in 2009. The French Football Federation have confirmed that he has now agreed to leave his club and become manager of France. After three years with Bordeaux Blanc is ready for a new challenge with the national team he once played for.

Domenech will see the team through the World Cup, but has been unpopular with many French fans after their frustrating “skin of the teeth” qualification campaign for the World Cup.

France, despite being in the final and eventually coming second in the last World Cup, are no longer seeded by FIFA and only qualified via the play offs, and in a controversial manner. Blanc will be looking to bring France’s formidable reputation back ready for Euro 2012, but can Domenech go some way towards that in South Africa before handing over the reins? France are the favourites out of the unseeded teams, with odds of between 14 and 20/1 being offered on them as outright winners. They face hosts South Africa, Mexico and Uruguay in their group.

The results during his time as manager has been both up and down. Even though Les Blues was only a penalty shoot out from becoming World Champions back in 2006, Domenech had always had people criticizing him.

Guy Chambily, board member of FFF, has called for a vote of the future of the French manager but after a special meeting it was decided that he will stay in his current role. Actually Raymond Domenech was offered support in October but the narrow qualification campaign has sparked on the critics.

France was drawn in the same group as South Africa, Mexico and Uruguay and we believe they have confidence enough to qualify from this group, and they are also big favorites among the bookmakers. A good bookie would be PlayersOnly where you have plenty of good odds for the World Cup 2010, they also accept US players. Sign up at the link above us for a 10% bonus.