Didier Deschamps has just experienced his sixth major tournament at the head of the French team. And it’s a safe bet that there will be a seventh with the World Cup looming in North America. A prospect that doesn’t delight Jérôme Rothen too much.
As he had already done after the last Euro in Germany, the former French international asked that DD give up his place.
“The observation over the last few months and years is terrible. And when you don’t win, you can’t highlight the results. At the Euro, these are not good performances. When you are the president of the FFF, you have an obligation to sound out public opinion because the selection belongs to all French people.”
“Deschamps does not want to give up his place to Zidane”
Rothen then turned on his former coach by saying that if he is holding on to his position it is to avoid handing over to someone more popular than him. I have a lot of respect for what he has done. For him, the sporting mission has been fulfilled over these twelve years and he is perhaps aiming for the longevity record. Except that it is the French team. And the Blues, with the pool that we have and the people who can train this selection. It is not as if we have no one behind us. Some have long teeth and a greater notoriety than Didier, like Zinedine Zidane. When all the boxes are not checked, you have to change. There, Deschamps is hanging on to a small branch and it is starting to break. It is time for him to say stop. The exceptional image that he had, it is falling apart. And I have the feeling that he does not want to leave his place to Zidane.
It was on the Monaco side that Rothen met Deschamps as a coach. Together, they notably reached the final of the 2023/2024 Champions League. The Bayonne technician has since come a long way. Rothen, for his part, has not achieved the slightest accomplishment.
