Henry arrives for Sarkozy summit

Thierry Henry has arrived for his lunchtime summit with French president Nicolas Sarkozy with Les Bleus’ abject failure at the World Cup the only subject on the agenda.

The squad landed back in France this morning with Henry immediately whisked off to the Elysee palace with Sarkozy keen to find out the reasons behind the squad’s dismal showing in South Africa.

Raymond Domenech’s men mustered a solitary point from three games and gained notoriety for a training ground boycott in protest at the decision by the French Football Federation (FFF) to send home Nicolas Anelka following a bust-up with the coach.

Sarkozy has already discussed the matter with senior ministers and he is now demanding answers from within the camp.

Meanwhile, sports minister Roselyne Bachelot feels it is “inevitable” Jean-Pierre Escalettes will have to relinquish his post as head of the FFF.

Although Bachelot does not have ministerial power to dismiss Escalettes – and she claimed that is not a course of action she would take even if she did – she hinted his position would become untenable.

Bachelot said: “The departure of Jean-Pierre Escalettes is not something I want but I find it inevitable.”

The repercussions of France’s failure have already been felt and Bachelot thinks Escalettes will also be a casualty.

She added on RTL radio: “The players have not received any remuneration, the coach is going so the last part of this disaster is the federation.”

Escalettes, however, has no plans to walk away.

The 75-year-old, when asked if he intended to quit, said “it was not in his nature”.