Pires enrages French football chiefs

Robert Pires has been summoned to an official meeting in Paris by French Football Federation (FFF) president Claude Simonet to explain his recent comments about national team coach Raymond Domenech.

A date has yet to be agreed but the international midfielder is likely to face Simonet, league president Frederic Thiriez and Domenech at a meeting following the Arsenal player’s outburst to France Football magazine.

Simonet told RMC radio: “I have asked him to appear before the permanent committee of the French team.

“I sent a letter by recorded delivery to Robert to ask him to meet us officially.

“We will listen to what he has to say and we will discuss with him all the things we don’t like in his behaviour.

“He will be heard soon, probably in the next few days.”

Pires has won 79 caps and scored 14 goals for Les Bleus and is the most capped player still involved with the national side.

“We cannot condemn people before hearing what they have to say,” Simonet added.

The FFF president is also unhappy that Pires appeared on television wearing a Puma T-shirt rather than one made by adidas, the official French team sponsor.

“Robert does not refuse the money coming from the contracts signed by the FFF,” Simonet said.

“He did wear his Puma T-shirt to be provocative. He is obviously going through a weird phase at the moment.”

Pires, one of the few veterans of the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning sides still in the squad, delivered stinging criticism of Domenech last Friday, explaining how disenchanted he has been since Jacques Santini quit as coach in July.

The Arsenal midfielder also hinted that the tensions extended to the rest of the national team.

“Nothing in his attitude leads me to believe he has confidence in me,” said Pires.

“It’s like being at school, being 20 and just starting out as a footballer.

“We need Domenech to give us freedom because he gets on our nerves with his attitudes, his words, his remarks.”