Despite the Bleuets’ clear victory over Cyprus this week (9-0), Thierry Henry found reason to refocus his troops.
Tuesday in Grenoble, the France Espoirs team outclassed Cyprus with a clear score of 9-0, signing a third success in a row on the road to the next Euro. While they were already leading 4-0 at the break, the Bleuets nonetheless suffered a blow from their coach, Thierry Henry, who later criticized his players for not having pressed their modest opponents enough to control the debates.
This Sunday, five days after the match, the French Football Federation published on social networks the video of the debrief of the former Monaco coach with his young apprentices, at the end of the match. “ Guys, the halftime rant I hope you understand. We can’t afford to play against a team like Cyprus, with all the respect I have for them, at home, and let them play the way we let them play. Slovenia didn’t do that against us, Denmark didn’t do that against us. So we put a structure in place to play, yes, in possession, okay, great, but out of possession, you have to want to get the ball back. I already told you guys, they have to be afraid of us! »
🎥 Thierry Henry’s talk after the historic victory against Cyprus (9-0).
Despite a 4-0 score at half-time, the Espoirs coach was not fully satisfied… 👀 pic.twitter.com/kOEtsQFTXo
— French team ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) October 22, 2023
” The way ? Nothing ! »
Demanding, the 1998 world champion insists: “ Once again, I repeat, the result, yes, I was happy. The way ? Nothing ! In the first period, lousy, horrible. Not possible, impossible. Explain to me why in the second half they don’t pass midfield? In the second half, they didn’t get past midfield. If you want to have fun, in quotes, you also have to like to squeeze. » And to conclude all the same with a tip of the hat: “ Guys, well done, honestly. 9-0 is never easy. In the entire history of the junior team, there have never been so many goals, which means it’s not easy. »
