Domenech: France takes priority

France coach Raymond Domenech has insisted national teams should always take priority over clubs after Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho accused him of treating midfielder Claude Makelele like a “slave” for forcing him to honour his call-up.

Makelele, 33, announced his international retirement after the World Cup in Germany, but Domenech did not accept his decision and called him up for Les Bleus’ two Euro 2008 qualifiers, against Georgia and Italy on September 2 and 6 respectively.

Mourinho on Sunday claimed Makelele was being treated “like a slave“.

But Domenech responded by declaring on the French federation website, www.fff.fr: “Accusing us of anything is like questioning the way national teams work – although they have the priority and also have the right, when international matches take place, to choose and pick their players.

“Their country needs them and we don’t take them with a knife under their throat.

“The rules set up by FIFA are strict and give us a lot of possibilities, otherwise we can see how difficult it would be to build up teams.”

The France squad gathered in Clairefontaine last night and will travel to Georgia on Friday.