PARIS, June 14: France coach Roger Lemerre resisted calls for his resignation on Friday as French football bosses granted him more time to consider his future after the defending champions’ shock World Cup exit.

The French media have lambasted Lemerre since France crashed out of the tournament, with influential sports daily “L’Equipe” on Friday publishing a photo of the coach under the headline “This way to the exit”.

But French soccer federation president Claude Simonet said after an emergency meeting that Lemerre would be given time to reflect on the national team’s performance before a decision was announced after the next meeting on July 6.

“The coach did not offer his resignation. He has understood that he is master of his own destiny and that he is being given the necessary time off for a healthy reflection,” Simonet said.

“Cutting heads has never been the federation’s strategy.”

France earned the dubious distinction of being the first defending champions in the Cup’s history to be knocked out without scoring a single goal.

After losing to Senegal and Denmark and drawing with Uruguay, they became the first title-holders to lose in the first round since Brazil in 1966.

Simonet, though, said: “I have read here and there that we have seen a collapse of French football. I strongly reject that. It is not a collapse, it is merely an accident along the way.”

Lemerre, who is under contract until 2004, had said during the tournament: “I’m certain people will be after my blood if we don’t qualify.” The 62-year-old Lemerre, who led France to the 2000 European Championship title, has faced criticism that he failed to bring in younger players to rejuvenate the team after their 1998 triumph in France.

He took over from Aime Jacquet four years ago but, never an automatic choice, he was only given the job after it was turned down by several other candidates.—Reuters