William Gallas says outgoing coach Raymond Domenech is chiefly to blame for France's World Cup debacle because its problems stemmed from his style of man-management.

The French team went on strike at a training session shortly before it was eliminated from the tournament at the group stage, prompting sharp criticism of Domenech and his squad from French fans and politicians.

"If there was a fiasco, there are reasons," Gallas said in an interview with weekly magazine Les Inrockuptibles. "And for me you shouldn't pull the wool over your eyes: they stem from the coach."

Laurent Blanc has replaced Domenech, but the former Bordeaux coach has inherited a France team devoid of confidence after Domenech's troubled six-year reign ended with public rifts and infighting.

The players had refused to train in protest at the treatment of team mate Nicolas Anelka. The striker was sent home for insulting Domenech during the second group match, a 2-0 defeat to Mexico.

Gallas, the Arsenal defender who has won 84 caps for France, says the way Domenech handled his players was wrong, which is what led to Anelka's outburst.

"Domenech kept drumming into us: 'Put your egos to one side.' But I think that he forgot to do so," Gallas said in the interview. "Domenech wasn't receptive. A lot of players couldn't speak to him. That was my case.

"The real problem is the coach ... I wasn't good, we weren't good. But the coach wasn't good, either."

Former France defender Lilian Thuram has called for some players, such as former captain Patrice Evra, never to play for the national team again because of their decision to strike.

While many observers were surprised that a team with such talented players failed so dramatically, Gallas said that "you can have the best players in the world in your team, (but) if you don't have the right coach, you won't get results."

France did not win a game at the World Cup, just like two years earlier, when Domenech's team failed to progress from the group stage at the European Championship.

Gallas was also furious with Domenech for handing the captain's armband to Patrice Evra prior to a World Cup warmup match against Costa Rica.

Domenech used the words "in any case, you won't be a good captain" when he made his decision.

Gallas was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy nearly two years ago after criticising his teammates.

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