France crisis as players revolt

FRANCE’S chaotic World Cup campaign went into meltdown yesterday after the players mutinied over the treatment of Nicolas Anelka, who was sent home in disgrace following a row with coach Raymond Domenech.

Less than 24 hours after the Chelsea forward was excluded by the French Football Federation (FFF) for refusing to apologise for his verbal attack on Domenech, the rest of the squad took matters into their own hands, boycotting training and issuing a statement supporting Anelka.

Minutes after taking the field for a training session at their Knysna base in South Africa, captain Patrice Evra and fitness coach Robert Duverne became involved in an argument.