Imagine, it’s as if the FFF appointed the greatest coach of the moment – ​​Pep Guardiola, JĂĽrgen Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti or Luis Enrique – at the head of the France team to succeed Didier Deschamps after the 2026 World Cup or in a few years after ZinĂ©dine Zidane. A long time ago, in 1973 to be precise, Fernand Sastre, the boss of the federation, managed to hire the Ajax strategist for the Blues bench, the Romanian Stefan Kovacs.
Kovacs is really not just anyone in the history of football. Star coach of Steaua Bucharest, he was chosen by Ajax to succeed Rinus Michels, the man of total football in the Netherlands. Johan Cruyff and his teammates won two new Champion Clubs’ Cups, in 1972 against Inter Milan (number 10 double) and 1973 against Juventus (goal by Johnny Rep). First forced to return to Romania, he finally obtained a new residence permit and settled in Paris.
An English coach, George Kimpton, was officially the coach of the Blues during the 1954 World Cup in Italy, but he was only a physical trainer in reality and it was Gaston Barreau who led the selection with the title of general manager from 1919 to… 1955! The FFF only appointed a coach-selector in 1964 with Henri Guérin.
Hidalgo, his deputy on the Blues bench
Stefan Kovacs, who died on May 12, 1995, was coach of the Blues for only two seasons, missing qualification for Euro 1976, but he laid the foundations of Michel Platini’s great French team, since Michel Hidalgo, the coach of the 1984 European champions, was his deputy.
In addition to much more physical football, the technician from Timisoara imposes unprecedented rigor on a daily basis, which surprises Marius Trésor. Henri Michel is the captain of the team, Bernard Lacombe the center forward and Dominique Rocheteau started when he only had a few matches under his belt with Saint-Etienne. “It was he who uninhibited French football compared to those of other nations. And Michel Hidalgo learned well from his contact”thus launches Trésor to The Team.
Two years after the sad memory of Seville, the Blues won the Euro at home. There will also be an Olympic title a few weeks later for the Guy Lacombe or Daniel Xuereb generation.
