Pires: Replace Domenech With Wenger

The Frenchman played under Wenger at Arsenal for six years, winning two league titles and an FA Cup, and knows the Gunners' boss well. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Pires revealed he felt his former boss would be perfect as the national team coach.

“Arsene Wenger is a gentleman and his qualities would have a positive effect on the national side,” said the Villareal man before adding, “He is a class act. Of course, as he is Arsenal's manager he is not free right now – but you never know what could happen.”

Domenech Must Go

Raymond Domenech, the current man in charge of Les Bleus, is currently enduring a difficult tenure, and Pires himself admitted he would like a change.

“I don't want Domenech to stay in the job,” admitted Pires before continuing, “Nobody knows how he managed to get the team into the 2006 World Cup final.”

Pires is not the first player to be openly critical about the French coach, and the fact that his side suffered an early exit from Euro 2008 has hardly impressed the fans either, a fact Pires acknowledged.

“The team crashed and burned right from the start of the Euro 2008 finals, yet he is still in charge. The game in Romania looks like a trap, but I expect he will escape from it,” said Pires speaking ahead of the weekend’s game, “He is so lucky, I reckon Les Bleus will win on Saturday.”

The former Gunner also admitted that Domenench’s influence on the team was wide-ranging and was proving a huge detriment to French football, especially with the younger players.

Setting A Bad Example

“France's young players no longer have any respect for their seniors, and the coach is solely to blame. He does things badly,” said Pires, “But Domenech has done anything but set them the right example with his theatrical antics and comments.”

Whilst the Villarreal man admitted that he would be delighted to see his former boss Wenger take the position, he also tipped Gerard Houllier as another potential candidate.

“As the French FA dislikes revolutions, maybe Domenech's assistant, Alain Boghossian, could take the top job – similar to the way Roger Lemerre took over from Aime Jacquet,” said the former Gunner, “But I would be happy to see someone like Gerard Houllier get the job if it does not go to Wenger.”

Yet the Frenchman is canny enough to know that Wenger is unlikely to leave the Emirates at the moment, yet he suggested that at some point he may be tempted to end his tenure in North London, and that the French side desperately needed him.

“If money is made available by the French FA then anything is possible,” admitted the Villarreal star, “The key is knowing whether he has the desire to leave London. Right now, I am very worried about what the future holds for the France side.”

Gill Clark