PARIS. Oct 9: (French Football /Federation (FFF) ; president Claude (Simonet said Friday that Roger Lemerre would remain in charge of the national team until next summer even if the world champions fail to qualify for the 2000 European Championships. reports AFP.

Lemerre. who succeeded World Cup winning coach Aime

France are lying a precarious third in Group Four behind Ukraine and Russia, whose match in Moscow kicks off at the same time.

Simonet said: "If we are eliminated my wish is that Roger Lemerre finishes his contract which runs out on July 31.2000 and sorts out outstanding business by leading the French team in our two remaining friendly matches.

"There is no need to rush. We

Jacquet after the victorious France "98 campaign, on Saturday leads France into their last scheduled Group Four qualifier with Iceland in Paris.

would have to reach consensus on a man to lead the French team."'

That could open the door for a summer transition of power

to Auxerre's legendary coach Guy Roux, in charge of the Burgundy club for an incredible 39 years. Roux was the FFFs first choice to succeed Jacquet only for his club president to veto the move.

But all is not lost for Lemerre. Should Russia and Ukraine draw then victory against Iceland would be sufficient for France to top the group and qualify automatically.

But an outright win for either side in Moscow would leave France second and relying on victory in a play-off-assuming they defeat Iceland.

However. Iceland ran the ,world champions close in Reykjavik, getting the better of a 1-1 draw and France have been hit by injury and suspension.

Arsenal's Emmanuel Petit and Real Madrid's Nicolas Anelka are definitely out through injury although Chelsea’s Marcel Desailly now looks to have won his fits ss battle and is set to play.

Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez and squad player Frederic Dehu are both banned.

Lemerre is also aware that he is yet to resolve the one weakness in the team that even national hero Jacquet failed to overcome — the lack of a world class striker.

The Indications are that he will persist with the allBordeaux pairing of Sylvain Wiltord and Lilian Laslandes against Iceland although he has options with Monaco's David Trezeguet and Lyon's Tony Vairelles.

Against such a background there is the very real fear that the team crowned world champions 15 months ago could fail to qualify for next year's continental finals.

Simonet. anticipating the what if questions, has made it clear that lemerre. Jacquet's right-hand man during the World Cup. will not be required to clear his desk the morning after elimination, if that is the outcome on Saturday.

And he ended: The problem will not arise if France qualify."