Domenech calls for support

WC Qualifiers

Under-fire France coach Raymond Domenech hopes the fans will back them during the World Cup qualifier against Serbia.

Domenech heads into the match at the Stade de France with his job on the line following Les Bleus' poor showing at this summer's European Championships and the 3-1 defeat to Austria that kicked off their World Cup qualifying campaign.

And he admits he has been left bemused by what he claims is an over-the-top reaction from the media and the French public.

"The smell of blood interests you," he said as he sat down in front of the assembled media for his eve-of-game press conference.

"I am happy about one thing - that the guillotine doesn't exist any more. If it did, some people would take pleasure putting me on the scaffolding.

"I haven't killed anyone. Perhaps I would be better served if I had killed someone. At least then I would have had extenuating circumstances.

"The reaction of the public? I hope they support Les Bleus."

He added: "I hope the spectators will focus on matters on the pitch than on the bench, where there will strictly be nothing to see.

"We are going to try to win against Serbia. If we don't win, what will happen will happen."

Domenech will have prepared himself for an adverse reaction from the crowd in Paris, adding it had not been a issue for him preparing for the game in such a climate.

"It isn't my problem - my problem is the match," he said.

"Everyone has their own job to do. Mine is to prepare the team so that it is ready for Wednesday and, as far as the following matches are concerned, to qualify for the World Cup."

France captain Thierry Henry insisted the players were not thinking in terms of winning the match to spare their coach the sack.

"The coach? Frankly, I don't know," said the Barcelona striker, when asked if he thought it would be Domenech's last game in charge of France.

"It is for French football and for the France team that we must win, not for the fixation on the coach."