Lawyers for ex-France coach Raymond Domenech and the French Federation (FFF) exchanged strong words yesterday after the case between the two parties was postponed until January 13, 2012.

Domenech, sacked for misconduct after France’s dismal display at last year’s World Cup, is seeking €2.9m in compensation. The FFF, meanwhile, are seeking to reclaim World Cup bonuses that Domenech refuses to yield.

Yesterday’s hearing reached no conclusions and the case will now be heard at an employment tribunal early next year.

“On the misconduct charge, the conciliation hearing did not allow us to learn much,” FFF lawyer Elisabeth Angles d’Auriac told AFP.

“But in the case of the bonuses, which has nothing to do with the misconduct charge, the demands made for sums to be paid are confirmation of the provocative behaviour of Raymond Domenech.”

Domenech’s lawyer, Jean-Yves Connesson, accused the FFF of erring in their bid to recover bonuses and image rights payments related to the 2010 World Cup.

“The only argument raised by the FFF is an interview with Patrice Evra announcing that the squad would give up their bonuses on June 22, after the last France match (at the World Cup),” said Connesson.

“We’ve not quite arrived at a legal aberration in this case, but that takes the biscuit!

“The federation is creating the principle of renunication by proxy. It’s like me speaking on behalf of an employee and declaring that he’s giving up his bonuses. It’s not on.”