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Blanc facing talks on French future
Posted Thursday, June 28, 2012 by YAHOO Sport

The French Football Federation will sit down with coach Laurent Blanc and discuss his future by the weekend, FFF chairman Noel Le Graet said Wednesday.

"Tomorrow, Friday or the weekend," said Le Graet - who has to determine France's options after their Euro 2012 quarter-final exit to Spain.

That was the minimum target for Les Bleus - but altercations between Samir Nasri with the media and other stories of unrest in the camp mean the pair will have plenty to thrash out.

French politicians have also been aghast at reports the squad will receive a bonus of some 100,000 euros at a time when many in France are having to cut back amid the fallout from the eurozone crisis.

The FFF's executive committee will meet Tuesday but there are indications the pair do not see eye to eye, Blanc having for example asked for a contract extension before the tournament while Le Graet made that conditional on getting out of the group.

They did so - but only as runners-up to England, meaning they were saddled with a match against defending champions Spain, who proved a bridge too far.

Lawmaker from the ruling Socialist Party, Philippe Martin, meanwhile suggested the sports ministry scrap the bonuses due the players at a time when government cutbacks are on the agenda.

Martin, noting reports of a funding shortfall of 50 million euros in the ministry, suggested the 2.3 million euros which could be saved could instead be used for promoting amateur and disabled sports.

His intervention came after party colleague Olivier Faure also spoke out against the bonuses.

Standings
    Rank Team W/D/L Pts

    Cities & Stadiums

    The Top 3 Teams of Previous Tournaments

    Year Winners Runner-up Third place
    2008SpainGermanyRussia / Turkey
    2004GreecePortugalNetherlands / Czech Republic
    2000FranceItalyNetherlands / Portugal
    1996GermanyCzech RepublicFrance / England
    1992DenmarkGermanyNetherlands / Sweden
    1988NetherlandsSoviet UnionItaly / West Germany
    1984FranceSpainDenmark / Portugal
    1980West GermanyBelgiumCzechoslovakia
    1976CzechoslovakiaWest GermanyNetherlands
    1972West GermanySoviet UnionBelgium
    1968ItalyYugoslaviaEngland
    1964SpainSoviet UnionHungary
    1960Soviet UnionYugoslaviaCzechoslovakia