PARIS (AFP)– Lawyers for ex-France coach Raymond Domenech and the French Football Federation (FFF) exchanged strong words on Thursday after the case between the two parties was postponed until January 13, 2012.
Domenech, sacked for misconduct after France's dismal display at last year's World Cup in South Africa, is seeking 2.9 million euros in compensation.
His former employers at the FFF, meanwhile, are seeking to reclaim World Cup bonuses that Domenech refuses to yield.
Thursday's conciliation hearing reached no conclusions and the case will now be heard at an employment tribunal early next year.
Lawyers for the two parties expressed their disappointment after the meeting.
"On the misconduct charge, the conciliation hearing did not allow us to learn much," FFF lawyer Elisabeth Angles d'Auriac told AFP.
"But in the case of the bonuses, which has nothing to do with the misconduct charge, the demands made for sums to be paid are confirmation of the provocative behaviour of Raymond Domenech."
Domenech's camp was quick to respond, with his lawyer, Jean-Yves Connesson, accusing the FFF of erring in their bid to recover bonuses and image rights payments related to the 2010 World Cup.
"The only argument raised by the FFF is an interview with (France World Cup captain) Patrice Evra announcing that the squad would give up their bonuses on June 22, after the last France match (at the World Cup)," said Connesson.
"We've not quite arrived at a legal aberration in this case, but that takes the biscuit!
"The federation is creating the principle of renunication by proxy. It's like me speaking on behalf of an employee and declaring that he's giving up his bonuses. It's not on."
Domenech, dressed in a black suit and a white shirt, was present at the 45-minute hearing in Paris but he left without speaking to reporters.
The 59-year-old led France to a runners-up finish at the 2006 World Cup in Germany but the rest of his tenure, which began in 2004, became synonymous with failure.
After a group-stage exit at the 2008 European Championship, France were eliminated at the same stage of last year's World Cup with only a single point and a single goal to their credit.
Their showing in South Africa was overshadowed by a training ground strike by the players, who were protesting after Chelsea forward Nicolas Anelka was excluded from the squad for clashing with Domenech.
The FFF were particularly aggrieved that Domenech read out the players' statement to the media explaining why they had elected to go on strike.
He was also criticised for refusing to shake hands with South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira after France's final group game.
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