The members of the executive committee of the FFF were expected from 9:30 a.m. at the headquarters of the Federation, boulevard de Grenelle, in Paris, to skim a particularly extensive agenda: federal governance, finances and, at the top of the pile, chaos among the Blues.

The crisis, long underground, burst into the open on February 24 with the announcement by Wendie Renard (142 selections) of her withdrawal from the France team, explaining that she could "no longer endorse the current system" too far, according to her, from the top level.

Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani, stars of Les Bleues and Paris SG, engaged and tackled the "lack of professionalism" of the tricolor coaching, without naming the coach directly.

The Lyonnaises Griedge Mbock (injured) and Perle Morroni (not selected) also joined the sling.

"It's important to have something new, the girls simply can't take it anymore", even if "they don't necessarily express themselves", explained Diani on Téléfoot.

"The French Federation must make arrangements, we have raised a cry of alarm."

Les Bleues striker Kadidiatou Diani during a friendly match against Norway on November 11, 2022 in La Nucia, Spain © Jose Jordan / AFP / Archives

"Untruths"

Deacon's case is therefore on the agenda of the Federation's "Comex", barely recovered from the turbulence surrounding its ex-president Noël Le Graët.

At the heart of this decisive day, the ousted leader has also decided to bring together his employees at 11:45 a.m. to send them a farewell message, nine days after his resignation.

The fate of general manager Florence Hardouin, laid off since January, will also be on the agenda for the day's discussions.

Silent at the height of the storm, Deacon finally stepped up to the plate on Wednesday, through a press release to AFP where she said she had "endured, not without feeling great suffering, the display of slander, untruths and each other's ambitions.

The former captain and defender of the Bleues (48), under contract until the summer of 2024, counter-attacked when her position appeared more weakened than ever.

In recent days, all the federal sources questioned were unanimously betting on his ouster.

The captain of the France team Wendie Renard and coach Corinne Deacon, after the quarter-final of the 2019 World Cup lost against the United States, June 28 at the Parc des Princes © FRANCK FIFE / AFP / Archives

Despite the "shameful media outburst of recent days", she said, "I am fully determined to carry out my mission and, above all, to bring honor to France at the next World Cup" this summer in Australia and New Zealand (July 20-August 20).

Aulas in the center

Anxious to tackle the problem head on, the FFF has set up a special commission to "report on the current situation" in the France team, with Jean-Michel Aulas, Laura Georges, Aline Riera and Marc Keller on board, all members of the "Comex".

The quartet auditioned several players.

Some "taulières", on the other hand, have declined and others have not been asked, we learned from those around them.

Deacon herself was able to speak for nearly two hours on Tuesday, according to her lawyer Christophe Ayela, who described to AFP a "constructive and concrete" exchange allowing the technician to come out "relieved and determined".

The presidents of Olympique Lyonnais Jean-Michel Aulas (G) and Strasbourg Marc Keller (R), both members of the Comex of the French Football Federation (FFF), on March 13, 2021 at the headquarters of the body, in Paris © FRANCK FIFE / AFP/Archives

The hypothesis of a dismissal of Deacon, in office since 2017, would force the FFF to find a successor within tight deadlines.

The next match of Les Bleues, against Colombia in a friendly, takes place in barely a month in Clermont.

The name of Gérard Prêcheur, current coach of the women's PSG, comes up insistently.

In recent hours, the former INF Clairefontaine trainer and ex-coach of OL women (2014-2017) however assured that he had not been contacted by the FFF.

Other profiles stand out, such as those of Sonia Bompastor (Lyon), Sandrine Soubeyrand (Paris FC) and Eric Blahic (former assistant to Deacon).

But the Federation could temporize on this subject and not take an immediate decision.

© 2023 AFP