French football is bracing itself for an overhaul as an inquest into the national team's World Cup debacle begins.
The shambolic manner of France's exit at the first-round stage in South Africa sparked outrage at the highest political level, and President Nicolas Sarkozy demanded an investigation into ways of improving the game's governance and ensuring there would be no repeat of the player strike which marred France's 2010 campaign.
The French Football Federation began hosting a two-day forum on Thursday, uniting professional and amateur league members to debate ways of modernizing the French game's infrastructure and economy, and improving its role in society.
''The summer was very disturbing for us,'' FFF vice president Noel Le Graet said. ''We thought about the general way things were run.''
The FFF calls the forum an opportunity ''to prepare the future'' by highlighting how to improve its governance - although no new laws or rules will be passed. It also hopes to encourage greater solidarity within French football.
''The events of the last few months highlighted necessary reforms in the way (French football) is governed, in favor of a more modern system (that is) more efficient and more reactive,'' the FFF said.
France's image in football reached an all-time low when the squad boycotted a training session in support of Nicolas Anelka, who had been sent home for insulting then France coach Raymond Domenech.
Politicians, former players and new coach Laurent Blanc were hugely critical of the team's behavior at the World Cup.
French sports minister Rama Yade also lambasted the decision to put players up in luxurious accommodation in South Africa.
Speaking at the forum on Thursday, she called it an ''opportunity to bring structural answers to questions that have been asked for a long time.''
French football has long been riddled with conflicts, with professional and amateur representatives at loggerheads over financing, and the French league -or LFP - regularly clashing with the FFF during Domenech's tenure.
The LFP's president Frederic Thiriez believes French football must unite to give Blanc a better chance of succeeding after a difficult final two years under Domenech.
''French football is back on track again,'' Thiriez said. ''It would be a shame if us, the people in football, can't reform to become more efficient.''
Former FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes was largely blamed for the World Cup debacle because his federal council voted overwhelmingly not to fire Domenech after the European Championship failure two years ago.
Escalettes resigned after the World Cup, accepting ''a clear portion of responsibility,'' while Domenech, whose contract was up, handed the reins to Blanc.
Blanc inherited a team bereft of confidence and lost his opening Euro 2012 qualifier at home to Belarus, but three straight wins later and France tops its qualifying group. There is optimism that Blanc, who has started almost from scratch with several new young players, can turn fortunes around.
Blanc has also been critical of the way the French youth systems have been operating over the recent decade, with coaches urged to favor physical strength over tactical acumen and skill.
France's Clairefontaine training academy was hailed as a reference in world football when France won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. It has since been outclassed by a flourishing Spanish system based on skill, touch and movement.
Spain won this year's World Cup and Euro 2008 - with France failing to win a game in either tournament.
