dingostew.com

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to hold an hour-long meeting with France striker Thierry Henry on Thursday following the country's disastrous World Cup, according to French radio station RMC.



Henry, who played a bit-part role in the campaign which ended on Tuesday in a first-round exit after a 2-1 defeat by South Africa, is to fly back on his own in a private jet later on Wednesday.

"Thierry Henry is leaving South Africa private jet," RMC reported on Wednesday.


Leaving on his own ... Florent Malouda Photo: AP

"He will spend the night in Paris before tomorrow morning (Thursday) meeting with the President of the Republic."

The president's office refused to either confirm or deny the story.

Henry, who was the last remaining member of the 1998 World Cup winning squad to play in this tournament's squad, will then go on holiday and finalise his transfer to Major Soccer League franchise New York Red Bulls, according to RMC.

The other members of the France squad - minus Nicolas Anelka who was expelled and sent home in disgrace on Sunday for a foul-mouthed outburst at coach Raymond Domenech, and Florent Malouda - flew out of South Africa on Wednesday.

Malouda, the 30-year-old Chelsea left winger, said that he was leaving separately because he was flying to a different destination to the squad who are due to arrive at Le Bourget airport in Paris at 0930 GMT on Thursday.

"The breaking-up of the group has taken place," said Malouda, who followed Henry in opting to return home alone.

"I am not going to the same place as the others," added the French Guyana-born player.

Malouda, who was given an escort by South Africa police as protection against a barrage of questions by journalists, has been pinpointed as one of the ringleaders in Sunday's strike called in protest at the expulsion of Anelka from the squad.

Malouda also had to publicly deny last week that he had had a stand-up row with coach Raymond Domenech in training on the eve of the opening match with Uruguay.


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The parallels with Irelands World Cup 2002 campaign become even more creepily similar!
Look at the first picture above, and then this:


Keane said later that McCarthy just wanted the handshake for the cameras coz he knew everyone was watching! Nobody in the French team, especially Henry, like Domenech, hence this whole farce. So obviously the above French photo was put on. France also had Anelka sent home after shouting abuse at the manager. Ireland had Keane sent home after he did the exact same thing!