France coach Raymond Domenech will remain at the helm for the World Cup following a lengthy debate by the French football federation (FFF) board today. Domenech has come under fire from several quarters in France despite leading Les Bleus to next summer’s World Cup.

The controversial victory over the Republic of Ireland in last month’s play-off hardly helped his cause and Guy Chambily, an FFF board member, had called for his continued employment to be put to the vote.

However, after a lengthy discussion on the matter today, FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes insists Domenech’s position is not in any danger.

“The question was posed to all the members of the board by Mr Guy Chambily,” said Escalettes. “The debate lasted an hour and a half without the presence of Raymond Domenech. Everyone expressed themselves.

“But out of the whole of the members of the federal board, no-one, with the exception of Guy Chambily, asked for there to be a debate opened on whether to keep Raymond Domenech.”

Since his appointment after Euro 2004, Domenech has twice been given a vote of confidence by the FFF, including in October this year following a disappointing qualifying campaign for South Africa

And Escalettes believes to change things now would be to the detriment of the France team.

He added: “That would have been totally counter productive since our aim must be to prepare the France team for the World Cup, it would have been hardly in accordance with the line of conduct of the board who have twice confirmed Raymond Domenech as coach.

“He had to qualify les Bleus for the World Cup and that’s what he did. We’re qualified and that was the only sportive clause that figured in his contract.”