France coach under pressure again ahead of key matches

In a group that includes football minnows the Faroe Islands and Lithuania as well as perennial also-rans Austria and Romania, the 57-year-old manager might have permitted himself to think that his star-studded side would have a ticket for South Africa in the pocket by now.

 But the qualification round began with a nightmarish 3-1 defeat away to Austria and, although things improved, France has not looked like a side capable of challenging for the title.

 The 1998 World Cup champions have since tied twice with Romania and scored nervous 1-0 wins over Lithuania and the Faroes.

 Le Bleus now sit second in their group, four points behind Serbia, and must win their final two matches - against the Faroe Islands on Saturday and Austria on Wednesday - to have an outside chance of qualifying directly for the finals as group winner.

 If they don't, they could face such strong sides as Russia, Germany or Portugal in the playoff of group runners-up, and perhaps miss out on the finals altogether.

 That would surely put an end to Domenech's often tumultuous career as national manager. The former France international defender has been under steady, and often ferocious, criticism.

 But he still believes the French have a chance of catching Serbia, who play Romania on Saturday and Lithuania next week. On Monday, the French coach urged his players to "play all-out against the Faroe Islands and score as many goals as possible."

   That might be difficult, for the French are missing two key players, midfielders Franck Ribery and Yoann Gourcouff, both of whom usually provide offensive impulse to a side that has scored only 10 goals in eight qualification matches.

 That is a paltry harvest for a team that includes such proven goal-scorers as Barcelona's Thierry Henry and Real Madrid's Karim Benzema.

 Former France and Liverpool coach Gerard Houllier put the blame on the mental strength of the players.

 "The strongest teams are those who are strongest in the mind," he said. "We are behind in that regard, there is a deficit in the area of mental strength."

   He also indirectly criticised Domenech and the style he has instilled in the side, by saying that the team needed to create an identity, its own "culture."

   "We must develop a 'bleu' culture, with the concept of an offensive style, directed forward and taking risks," said Houllier, who currently is the team's technical director and has been cited in the media as a possible replacement for Domenech.

 That criticism was similar to that reportedly voiced by Henry on the eve of the September 5 qualification match with Romania.

 According to the daily Le Parisien, Henry complained to Domenech, "We have no idea how to play, where to position ourselves, how to organise ourselves. We don't know what to do. We have no style, no guiding idea, no identity."

   Both Henry and Domenech have since denied the discussion took place as reported, but the story - true or not - has left its mark.

 For Domenech's future, the French must not only win Saturday and Wednesday, but they may also have to do it convincingly and with a flair that has been notably missing under his coaching.

DPA