It never ends well when players and manager fall out, especially so at the biggest sporting event on Earth.

John O’Shea has said that the Irish players were never interested in monetary compensation for their failure to reach the 2010 World Cup following the Thierry Henry handball incident in the play-off game in Paris in 2009.

Sports law experts have openly queried how any FAI legal action over the French ‘handball’ goal in the 2009 World Cup play-off would have succeeded — despite it resulting in a €5m payment from world governing body Fifa.

And so the ‘Hand Of Gaul’ turned into the ‘Hand-Out Of Gaul’.

If the Clare hurlers once turned their season round by convening to drink Davy Fitzgerald’s MiWadi, maybe the same trick will work with Kool-Aid.

57 channels and nothin’ on. Unfair on the authors but that’s how it feels when you’re promised two autobiographies from current Everton footballers in the same week. On top of all the others.

In Brazil, another generation of France’s mix of ‘black, blanc, beur’ (black, white, Arab) will try to unite the country through football, writes Eoin O’Callaghan.

Should Manchester United look abroad to replace David Moyes, who are the best potential candidates?

Property website Zoopla has announced it will not seek to renew its sponsorship of West Brom at the end of the season in light of Nicolas Anelka’s controversial "

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West Brom have granted Nicolas Anelka indefinite compassionate leave following the death of his agent Eric Manasse.

West Brom boss Steve Clarke is monitoring Nicolas Anelka’s situation as he attempts to bolster his striking options.

Controversial former France coach Raymond Domenech has labelled Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery a ‘‘diva’’ who he “would have gladly strung him up’’ and revealed the depth of his hatred for several of his other former players.

The French national soccer team have learned painful lessons from their behaviour at recent major tournaments and will not tarnish their image again, midfielder Blaise Matuidi promised yesterday.

Captain Hugo Lloris has leapt to the defence of his France team-mates, saying they should not be judged on reports of infighting during Euro 2012.

Defender Bacary Sagna has lamented the “avoidable” infighting that he believes “wasted” France’s hopes of glory at Euro 2012.

French Football Federation president Noel le Graet has labelled Samir Nasri’s behaviour “intolerable” after the midfielder’s alleged foul-mouthed rant at a journalist following Les Bleus’ Euro 2012 exit.

Are France the new Netherlands?

French Football Federation president Noel le Graet has labelled Samir Nasri’s behaviour “intolerable” after the midfielder’s alleged foul-mouthed rant at a journalist following Les Bleus’ Euro 2012 exit last night.

FRANCE have been amongst the most impressive teams in Euro 2012 so far but the beauty of tournament football is that Laurent Blanc’s carefully constructed plans could fall apart if they lose to Sweden in Kiev tonight.

Samir Nasri says France have a long way to go before they can win over the fans who have still not forgiven them for their World Cup nightmare two years ago.

Samir Nasri has admitted France are relieved they don’t have to face Wayne Rooney in their opening Euro 2012 clash on Monday but has singled out goalkeeper Joe Hart as the man who could prove to be an alternative hero for England if Roy Hodgson’s side are to upset the odds in Donetsk.

Ben Lyttleton on the young guns who’ll fire in Poland and the Ukraine

Will Cristiano Ronaldo be crowned king of Europe by claiming the tournament’s Golden Boot?

France coach Laurent Blanc admits midfield is an area of concern as he prepares to release his preliminary squad for next month’s European Championship in Poland and Ukraine.

France coach Laurent Blanc insists he has no intention of quitting his role after Euro 2012 despite being linked with some of Europe’s top club sides.

Nicolas Anelka has revealed his goal against Republic of Ireland in the first leg of the 2010 World Cup qualifying play-off set in motion the events that led to his outburst at coach Raymond Domenech in South Africa.

AS the eldest of eight children, Marc Lievremont’s robust style in coaching the French rugby squad should perhaps surprise nobody.

ENGLAND’S quarter-final opponents France appear to be on the brink of civil war — a crisis which puts the disciplinary challenges facing Martin Johnson into stark perspective.

France coach Marc Lievremont has conceded after the “shame” of yesterday’s shock defeat to Tonga that his squad are not united in pursuit of a first Rugby World Cup title.

FORMER French manager Raymond Domenech has claimed he was almost became Republic of Ireland manager in 2003.

Tottenham defender William Gallas claims he has “drawn a line” under his international career having not featured in any of national coach Laurent Blanc’s squads to date.

SUPERSTITION in football is an almost endless topic; there’s enough material for a good-sized book.

THERE was once a time when French football was thought to lead the world.

Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has called on his team-mates to prove that they are good enough to win the Champions League by beating Manchester United in their upcoming showdown.

Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka does not miss international football and insists he has no plans to come out of retirement for Euro 2012 once he completes his 18-match ban.

LAURENT BLANC revealed that Yoann Gourcuff and Franck Ribery have held clear-the-air talks, as France continue the healing process after the trauma of last year’s World Cup.

IRISH soccer is poised for a massive €40m windfall as UEFA chiefs put the finishing touches to plans to pool match television rights among its 53 member associations.

“A TOTAL Fiasco”, “Pathetic” and “Shameful” — those were just a selection of some of the headlines to grace the French newspapers on Sunday morning after the nation’s historic 22-21 Six Nations loss to Italy in Rome.

French sports minister Chantal Jouanno has blamed her country’s infamous implosion at last year’s World Cup on a “problem of governance” and admits the wounds from South Africa have not yet healed.

EX-FRANCE coach Raymond Domenech has branded members of the national team “foolhardy brats” after speaking out for the first time about the World Cup debacle.

Former France coach Raymond Domenech has branded members of the national team as "foolhardy brats" after speaking out for the first time about the World Cup debacle.

“Please God, he’ll still be here in February. I don’t see any way Robbie won’t be here unless someone comes up with £50 million or something for him!”

The 23-year-old midfielder has been in majestic form this season, scoring 12 goals in all competitions while helping the Gunners mount a considerable title charge and reach the semi-final of the Carling Cup.

UEFA president Michel Platini believes the French players responsible for the World Cup fiasco should have been handed lifetime suspensions.

Nicolas Anelka, the man at the centre of the France World Cup boycott, says he was planning to quit the national team even before their troubled tournament in South Africa in June.

MOVE aside Diego Maradona, Rafa Benitez and Raymond Domenech, the tattooed bad boy of Chinese soccer, Wang Dalei, is gunning to be crowned the greatest ranter of 2010.

Raymond Domenech’s lawyer has confirmed his client will seek a compensation payment of €2.9m from the French Football Federation after his exit as national team coach.

France coach Laurent Blanc has suggested a reduction in the number of teams in Ligue 1 may give his side a better chance of success on the international stage.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Laurent Blanc has been “brave” to take on the task of coaching France so early in his career.

Florent Malouda believes it is time for France to move on from agonising over their dismal World Cup campaign and focus on the future.