SAINT-PIERRE, Reunion (Reuters) – France coach Raymond Domenech said his team were moving in the right direction despite slumping to a surprise 1-0 defeat by China in their final World Cup warm-up on Friday.

“I think we are improving,” said Domenech who has faced heavy criticism ever since France went out in the first round of Euro 2008.

SAINT-PIERRE, Reunion (Reuters) – France must get out of the habit of conceding early goals when they get to the World Cup, midfielder Florent Malouda said on Thursday.

Les Bleus trailed early in their first two warm-up games, a 2-1 win over Costa Rica and a 1-1 draw in Tunisia.

SAINT-PIERRE, Reunion, June 3 (Reuters) – France must get
out of the habit of conceding early goals when they get to the
World Cup, midfielder Florent Malouda said on Thursday.

Les Bleus trailed early in their first two warm-up games, a
2-1 win over Costa Rica and a 1-1 draw in Tunisia.

SAINT-PIERRE, Reunion (Reuters) – France coach Raymond Domenech called it a “scandal” after around 200 children were prevented from watching the team train.

About 3,000 raucous fans, mostly local children proudly wearing their football kits, cheered the players on during a session at Saint-Pierre on Wednesday.

SAINT-PIERRE, Reunion (Reuters) – Centre back William Gallas pulled out of training at France’s World Cup camp on Wednesday because of a stomach ache, a team spokesman said.

Gallas had been a doubtful starter for the June 11-July 11 finals in South Africa because a calf muscle injury but took part in France’s first two warm-up games, against Costa Rica last week and Tunisia on Sunday.

SAINT-PIERRE, Reunion (Reuters) – Thierry Henry has dismissed media reports that France coach Raymond Domenech threatened to leave him out of the World Cup if he refused to be a substitute.

The Barcelona player, his country’s former captain and most prolific scorer, started the first two warm-up games on the bench and is expected to do the same at the June 11-July 11 finals.

SAINT-PIERRE, Reunion, June 2 (Reuters) – Thierry Henry has
dismissed media reports that France coach Raymond Domenech
threatened to leave him out of the World Cup if he refused to be
a substitute.

The Barcelona player, his country’s former captain and most
prolific scorer, started the first two warm-up games on the
bench and is expected to do the same at the June 11-July 11
finals.

TUNIS (Reuters) – France’s captain and most prolific scorer Thierry Henry faces the once inconceivable prospect of being a substitute at the World Cup for the country he has graced for over a decade.

The only player in the squad who was part of the team’s 1998 World Cup triumph, the 32-year-old appears set to lose his place up front in coach Raymond Domenech’s first team to Nicolas Anelka and the captain’s arm-band to left back Patrice Evra.

SOUSSE, Tunisia (Reuters) – Raymond Domenech is the first coach to have qualified France for three successive major tournaments and is about to match Michel Hidalgo’s record of 75 games in charge — but his legacy is yet to be written.

The stubborn 58-year-old, who was surprisingly left in charge after his side’s Euro 2008 flop and has done nothing since to make fans warm to him, will join Hidalgo in the record books with a World Cup warm-up against Tunisia on Sunday.

SOUSSE, Tunisia (Reuters) – With the World Cup just around the corner, France appear to be realising what Arsenal fans have sensed for a while — Abou Diaby could use the big stage to step out of the shadow of the great Patrick Vieira.

The 24-year-old plays for Arsenal in the role once filled by former France captain Vieira, who is now past his prime and not in national coach Raymond Domenech’s squad for the June 11-July 11 finals.