by GILES ELLIOTT, FOXSports.com

Updated: November 8, 2001, 1:47 PM EST

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The word has attached itself, like a bad haircut, to this weekend's soccer match between Australia and France -- not because the two countries are fierce rivals, but due to the frustrations of a bunch of Frenchmen about to earn serious frequent-flyer miles.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's voice has been heard louder than most in the chorus of disapproval. For his players to travel halfway round the world to play for their country was not just "controversial" but "a big mistake." For his bitter opposition to the game and the reaction back home, Wenger even went so far as to describe himself as "the French Bin Laden."

For a Zen Buddhist, that was strong language, but it's time for the Giles Files to drop a few facts in the Frenchman's general direction.

Australia will play France this Sunday, on a designated international weekend, when the league schedule is suspended across Europe. Nothing wrong with playing an international match on that day then.

Australia is a long way from Europe. This is not Australia's fault. The British Empire clearly wanted a penal colony some distance from home. Should we blame Queen Victoria, or Captain Cook for discovering far-flung continents?

Australian soccer fans have not seen their full-strength team play on home soil for three years. It's no wonder Harry Kewell has lost his accent.

Oceania is the only one of FIFA's six member confederations that is not given an automatic qualification place for the World Cup Finals. To get to USA '94, the Aussies had to play off against Argentina for the right to compete on the sport's highest level. Tough -- and even discriminatory.

With a playoff upcoming against South America's fifth-best team, Australia needs a practice match. Warming up against World and European champions France is a pretty good idea.

As World Champions (putting them, of course, on a par with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Lakers), France is prequalified for Korea/Japan 2002. They need regular international games too, and against as wide a variety of opposition as possible.

FIFA allows France to call on their players for eight friendly matches a year. Les Bleus' game in Melbourne will be their eighth in 2001.

Before this summer, Wenger had made 18 senior signings for Arsenal. None were British. With the majority of EPL players also internationals, they are bound to be absent when their countries are in action.

Far worse to acquire African players, of course. Has Arsenal been moaning about the African Nations Cup, starting in Mali next January, when Lauren will be absent with Cameroon and Kanu with Nigeria?

Thierry Henry did not make the trip out to Australia, due to an injured ankle that looked, when X-rayed, suspiciously like Ryan Giggs' hamstring before Wales' international friendlies. Will the EPL's co-scoring leader have recovered in time for next Saturday's north London derby? Ever so possibly yes.

Wenger did, however, make his Japanese midfielder, Junichi Inamoto, stay in London for last Monday's Worthington Cup match against Manchester United reserves. Inamoto sat on the bench for 86 minutes before being allowed to take the field. He then flew off to Saitama and started for Japan in their international match against Italy on Wednesday. World Cup 2002 is fairly important for the Japanese too, you know.

It is also a long way to Japan. In the 1970s, when air travel was not the most comfortable, I had to fly for 17 hours to Tokyo and back six times a year at the start and end of school vacations. There was a stop-off in Anchorage, Alaska where the only thing to do at the airport for those under the legal drinking age is to stare at a large stuffed polar bear. I did not get time off school to recover from the trip.

Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira and Sylvain Wiltord are old enough though to have a glass or two of vin rouge on the flight. I assume they're travelling first-class. Nice food too. They can even watch some movies or catch up with the latest tunes.

Yes, clubs pay the wages, but where would outfits like Arsenal be without their top international players? Do fans want to see a team full of Gilles Grimandis run out at Highbury?

Soccer Australia chief executive Ian Holmes summed up his feeling about clubs' opposition to players representing their country. "This is an act of malevolence by arrogant, self-indulgent clubs, particularly Arsenal."

It may be "controversial," but what Wenger and Arsenal really need to do is take a hard look at themselves instead.

Fifth in the EPL standings (although only four points adrift of top team Leeds), the Gunners have just dropped seven points from very winnable games against Blackburn, Sunderland and Charlton.

The 4-2 loss to the Addicks last Sunday was Arsenal's worst-ever home defeat in the EPL, tying a score against Norwich in August 1992.

After conceding just 13 goals at Highbury all last season, they have let in 10 already in just five games this year.

Arsenal may have advanced in the Champions League, but five straight road losses in Europe won't get them much further.

38 Gunners have now been sent off in the five years Wenger has been with Arsenal, with six of those red cards coming already this season. The manager has yet to see one of the incidents.

What exactly have 2001-02's new Gunners Inamoto, Sol Campbell, Francis Jeffers, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Richard Wright contributed, punching the ball into your own nets aside?

And Wenger has yet to sign a new contract with Arsenal. Just how long will people accept that he is a man of his word? Could it be that the temptation of escaping from a fourth futile season at Highbury will lead to the Frenchman seeking pastures new? With happy memories of coaching with Nagoya Grampus Eight, the Far East may be hard for Wenger to resist if the Japanese Football Federation, as has long been rumored, come calling.

No, hold on. Too far to fly.