On the eve of meeting Côte d’Ivoire in a friendly, in Marseille, the coach of the Blues answered questions from journalists this Thursday, at the Vélodrome.
Special envoy to Marseilles
Physical condition of the France group
« Presnel (Kimpembe) is better so he will do the session today (Thursday), Kylian (Mbappé) will not do the session following an ENT infection. For tomorrow (Friday)? We will take stock with him and the staff, I can’t tell you anything more, not that I want to hide anything, but that’s the current situation. »
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What about his discussion with Olivier Giroud and his vision on a new status
« I had a discussion with him as with many players, but I had already spoken to him at great length to explain things to him beforehand and what he could follow (as advice) … You will not know anything about it (content ). He’s happy to be there, he can talk (about their discussion) but he won’t (smiles). Afterwards, I want to be consistent between what I say and what I do. I’m not going to talk about being fair, because inevitably one can think that I am and the other not, but Olivier is there in a group that has been very successful with him and without him. He is part of this France group for this gathering.»
If Giroud will start on Friday evening
« I let you interpret as you want (smile). I said he would have playing time, but not necessarily start in both matches. I’m not going to make a special case with Olivier, he will play, like almost all the members of the selection on this sequence. »
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Pogba who evokes his depression, liberating word?
« As if we didn’t take care of it before… There are specialists in this area, which doesn’t prevent having psychological problems. It’s not a taboo subject, after every athlete has the freedom to talk about it, these are difficult times to live. The specificity is that the high level athlete is permanently linked to the requirement, it can be stress on the emotional level. I don’t know if it will free up speech (of others), because it has always been there. If that allows Paul or someone else to free themselves, so much the better, that’s the reality of high competition, whatever the team or individual sport, I’m not telling you anything. The sportsman to walk the legs, it is the head that commands. They are not robots but human beings, with their character and sensitivity, their strength and weakness. »
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The negotiations between Mbappé and the sponsors of the France team
« Already, I agree with my captain (Hugo Lloris), it had no effect and not the slightest incident on the state of mind or the concentration that there may have been this week. It’s a certainty. Afterwards, you use the term negotiations, sincerely, I don’t have the tempting ones on this file which does not concern me. This is the responsibility of my president, he spoke about it and he will see with him soon. »
If he is tempted by a new game system in March?
« We haven’t had enough experience with this new system (3-5-2), even if we won the League of Nations, without having complete control. I made adjustments and corrections, I do not exclude that everything before the World Cup we will be in this system, but I am convinced that we must make adjustments. »