Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t have the highest hopes for Patrice Evra’s France ahead of the World Cup, but certainly didn’t expect the madness that has ensued.

He reckons that former Manchester United defender and French coach in waiting, Laurent Blanc, should have accompanied the team to South Africa.

“I didn’t expect them to do well, but I expected better than what we have seen,” said Fergie. “There seems to be a lot of disharmony in the camp. I think it was bad preparation for the players to know that Raymond Domenech was leaving and that Laurent Blanc was going to be coming in after the World Cup. They should have brought Blanc along as an over-seer or assistant just to get a look, and maybe he would have had a calming influence and brought a bit of harmony into the squad.”