Soccer:Laurent Blanc was officially appointed France coach this afternoon to replace Raymond Domenech whose contract ended with the national team's group stage elimination at the World Cup.
The 44-year-old, a prominent member of France's 1998 World Cup-winning squad, has the task of qualifying the team for the 2012 European Championship finals in Poland and Ukraine.
The former defender, who coached Girondins Bordeaux to the 2009 Ligue 1 title, was appointed during a council meeting of the French Football Federation (FFF) in Paris.
FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes formally handed in his resignation at the meeting, having said on Monday he would quit after the federation was blamed for the way it handled a player revolt in South Africa.
"I have decided to resign because it is my duty", Escalettes told a news conference on Friday. "I accept my share of responsibility."
Domenech's six-year tenure ended in shame when France left the World Cup with a point and a goal after a scandal involving players' boycotting a training session in support of striker Nicolas Anelka, who was sent home for insulting the coach.