Zidane slams French squad

Johannesburg - Former French star Zinedine Zidane on Monday said he disagreed with the current squad's controversial decision to refuse to train Sunday following the decision to send Nicolas Anelka home.

"Seeing the players not train, of course I am not in favour of that - but at the same time I am not in the camp to know what is going on in their heads," Zidane told a press conference in Johannesburg.

"I am not at all for it (refusing to train) because, as a journalist said, we will remember this World Cup for who wins it and the France team for refusing to train."

Anelka was sent home for insulting beleaguered coach Raymond Domenech, who pulled him off at half-time following a tepid showing by the Chelsea striker in the 2-0 loss to Mexico which leaves the 1998 champions on the brink of elimination.

"Of course nobody can agree with what he said or did but what I want to say ... above all, it's the fact it all leaked out. Because in the dressing room a lot of things get said, sometimes difficult things, but it never gets out," said Zidane.

French players, led by skipper Patrice Evra, have lamented above all the fact that French sports daily l'Equipe was able to obtain a record of what Anelka said to Domenech and plaster it over its front page.

Evra said what concerned him above all was to find out "who is the traitor in the camp" who leaked the story in the first place.

The players' anger then boiled over when the French Federation sent Anelka home when Domenech himself had declared the matter closed - though he was upset the player had spurned an opportunity to apologise.

Now, morale appears to have broken down in the squad with France needing to beat South Africa in their final group match on Tuesday if they are to have a hope of reaching the last 16 - and if Mexico and Uruguay draw in the other group game the French will be out anyway.

The problem is that when things get out things get complicated and become very serious," Zidane observed.

With regard to Domenech, an awkward figure who has been much-maligned by the media and the fans - though he took France unexpectedly to the final of the 2006 tournament - Zidane said: "I have never had a problem with this coach.

"There was never much of a feeling but I respected (his) position. I was player and he was coach," added Zidane, who retired after the 2006 final when he was sent off.

But Zidane said that if France could turn things around the whole incident would be forgotten.

"If the French get through it will all be forgotten - so I am looking forward to the match" against South Africa.