Domenech's career could end where it began

DUBLIN: Raymond Domenech's term as France coach could end the way his short international playing career started over the next week, with a game against Ireland and a failed World Cup qualification campaign.

The controversial coach earned the first of his eight caps in a 1974 World Cup qualifier against Ireland, in a campaign which ended with the French missing out on the finals in West Germany that year.

Failure to prevail over two playoff legs against the Irish, beginning in Dublin on Saturday, would make the 2006 World Cup runners up the most high-profile absentees at next year's finals and almost certainly spell the end for their coach.