All quiet on Ostend front

The scene at France's aborted press conference

BBC Sport Online's Pete Lansley reports from the Belgian coast, where French sportswriters boycotted a news conference in protest at the players' refusal to attend.

If Kevin Keegan and the British tabloid reporters think relations get a bit frosty in England, they should have been at the Thermae Palace in Ostend on Saturday.

A lunchtime seafront meeting saw relations between the French media and the world champions hit an all-time low.

Many French journalists have made a journey of many kilometres to speak with the French team - we understood two players will be here with Lemerre for the press conference

Gilles Guerin

The news conference before Sunday's Group D opener with Denmark in Bruges collapsed chaotically when the French players refused to speak to the media.

The reporters in turn said they did not want to interview the coach, Roger Lemerre.

Eventually Parma defender Lilian Thuram came in, answered two questions and walked out again.

Lilian Thuram : Latest to join the press boycott

He was coerced into returning for a terse exchange but the Sunday morning newspapers will not make happy reading for the French as they prepare for what should be their team¿s easiest game in a difficult group.

The French had promised two players would be available at their plush hotel 15 minutes from Bruges.

But the number of interviewees in their Wavre training camp, south-east of Brussels, has been diminishing all week.

The squad, apparently, decided they needed a media-free day to rest after travelling up towards Bruges.

I don't know if any bad press will upset the players but I understand the players' rights for some freedom. I'm also sorry for the press. It's not ideal

Gerald Enault, French Football Federation

The reporters say the players are happy to talk to television crews yet, now they have conquered the world, neglect the supportive but objective written corps.

Gilles Guerin, the vice-president of the National Union of French Sports Reporters, explained the difficulties from the red corner.

"The problem is many French journalists have made a journey of many kilometres to speak with the French team," he said.

"Ten years ago, when the French team was a very bad team in the international rankings, the players spoke very easily with the press.

"Now they are world champions, and the Euro tournament is about to start, they don¿t speak. We have to say we are afraid and we are angry."

There was a consensus within the mad media scrum that these negative vibes will do no damage to the French players¿ morale ahead of their opening game.

French coach Roger Lemerre outside the conference

After all, during France 98, Lemerre's predecessor Aime Jacquet fell out with L'Equipe, the country's major sports daily, but merely used the antagonism to wind up his players.

"I can't say it will disrupt harmony,¿ added Guerin, who writes for the Voice of the North newspaper.

"But it's not good. I don't think the players understand what they are doing."

Gerard Enault, the director of the French Football Federation, confirmed it was the players who decided to blank the press.

"It results from a discussion between the players," he told BBC Sport Online.

"They have arrived here very early in the morning, then had to transfer by bus and now this evening they have the training. So they want time for sleep and recuperation."

Peter Gronberg, who writes for the Danish national Politiken, hoped the row would help Denmark, but did not believe it would.

"This won¿t undermine French morale. Their players are used to media hype at the big clubs. They won¿t be fazed."