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Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires has apologised to France Coach Raymond Domenech as he attempts to revive his international career.
The 1998 World Cup winner has not featured for Les Bleus since October 2004, when he criticised his substitution at half-time against Cyprus, but he is desperate to travel to next year's World Cup and has sought to mend his relationship with the national trainer.
"I had a conversation with the Coach a few days ago, I wanted to apologise," he revealed to French television station TF1.
"I said things during a bad period in my life but I never wanted to harm the squad. He did not ask me to apologise."
The former Metz and Marseille winger was undergoing a divorce at the time and he hopes his unprovoked show of remorse will be enough to earn the same grace recently accorded to Nicolas Anelka.
But he also explained that the international comeback of French rugby star Thomas Castaignède has given him just as many reasons to be optimistic.
"Castaignède's return gives me a lot of hope. Actually he is the one who told me to talk to the coach," he declared. "I still believe I can make it for the 2006 World Cup."
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