Lemerre pays the price for failure

Roger Lemerre was sacked as France coach yesterday, less than a month after the defending champions suffered a humiliating World Cup first-round exit.

Although Lemerre did not want to resign and the French Football Federation (FFF) was initially reluctant to sack him, his dismissal had become increasingly inevitable.

"Roger Lemerre has been discharged of his mission as the national coach," the FFF president, Claude Simonet, said at the end of a closed-door meeting in Lyon. "To choose a successor is an heavy task. He will be selected after consultations and named at a later stage," he added.

Lemerre, who remains technical director of the FFF, did not comment on the decision and no details of the deal were given. He took over as France coach from Aimé Jacquet four years ago, after the team won the 1998 World Cup. Under his guidance, France won Euro 2000 and the 2001 Confederations Cup.

France left for South Korea and Japan as tournament favourites but suffered the humiliation of becoming the first defending champions to be knocked out of the World Cup in the first round for 36 years. They finished bottom of Group A after failing to score a single goal in three games and gathering just one point.

Lemerre, nevertheless, resisted calls for his resignation and the French media has reported that he was negotiating a big redundancy payment.

Fresh from celebrating Brazil's record fifth World Cup victory, Rivaldo last night sought to quell speculation of a move from Barcelona, saying he would see out his contract at the Spanish club.

"I will be presenting myself at Barcelona [for the new season] as has been arranged," the Brazilian playmaker, who had been linked with Newcastle United, said.