Arsenal's French players gunning for Zidane

The fallout from France's disappointing Euro 2004 campaign continued with a report that striker Thierry Henry (pictured) was plotting along with his fellow French internationals in the Arsenal squad to oust two-time world player of the year Zinedine Zidane.

The fallout from France's disappointing Euro 2004 campaign continued with a report that striker Thierry Henry was plotting along with his fellow French internationals in the Arsenal squad to oust two-time world player of the year Zinedine Zidane.

According to Le Parisien Henry is keen to assume Zidane's role as France's leading player and start preparing for the 2006 World Cup finals qualifiers where they have the tough proposition of seeing off the challenge of the Republic of Ireland.

They cite how Henry - who had a dreadful tournament to add to his appalling World Cup finals in 2002 where his only noteworthy exploit was to be sent off and has scored just two goals in six matches at the last two major finals - and France made light of Zidane's absence at last year's Confederations Cup.

Henry wants the team to be built round him as he believes the way the team was built to suit the talents of Zidane lessened the impact he could make in front of goal.

The paper says that with Zidane's main allies such as the eloquent Bixente Lizarazu fading and likely to retire from the international scene, Henry, Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires are circling to go in for the kill on the player, who almost singlehandedly won them the 1998 World Cup with his two headers against Brazil.

The fallout from France's disappointing Euro 2004 campaign continued with a report that striker Thierry Henry was plotting along with his fellow French internationals in the Arsenal squad to oust two-time world player of the year Zinedine Zidane (pictured).

The paper cites how the player power of the Arsenal trio forced Jacques Santini to get Zidane to play on the left then the centre and finally on the right, in the 1-0 defeat by Greece, during the tournament so as to please Henry and Pires.

However Zidane, who apart from his two late goals against England looked a jaded shadow of the player he once was, is not taking the plot lying down as he displayed when Vieira said he should succeed Marcel Desailly as captain.

"After Marcel, I will be the captain. Pat can wait his turn," said the 32-year-old, who used his leadership qualities to pull the team together after they went 2-1 down to Croatia in their group match even though Desailly was on the pitch wearing the captain's armband.

Zidane like several of the golden generation that won the World Cup and Euro 2000 are thinking over whether they should call it a day or not but as he told French television on Sunday he will not wait months before announcing his decision.

"At a certain point one must know it is time to change the personnel," said Zidane.

"It is of course imperative something changes and to change it one cannot wait till six months before the 2006 World Cup finals.

"I have not decided yet, I do not know what I am going to do. I will think about it and afterwards we will see."