2023-11-14 09:02:24
Didier Deschamps had planned to keep it short. But at the start of the gathering, the coach of the France team was particularly talkative and brushed aside many subjects. For 45 minutes, he returned to Ibrahima Konaté’s injury, Luis Enrique’s comments towards Kylian Mbappé and Warren Zaire-Emery’s first steps at Clairefontaine. Even if he intends to be lenient given his age, the technician admits that he does not want to give him different treatment.
Did you decide not to take Ibrahima Konaté, who was injured, because of the words of Jürgen Klopp who questioned your management of his playing time during the last rally?
DIDIER DESCHAMPS. You are looking for me by titillating me from the first question! No, it’s just the situation that is like that. Ibou (Konaté), as we told you, did not play the match in Toulouse but warmed up for a possible entry during the match and he felt a problem with his ischio. He took some exams, but it doesn’t matter. This is an area where he has had an injury before. It was not in the player’s interest nor in my interest. After his coach said that, it must have already happened, it will happen at other times because interests diverge.
Warren Zaire-Emery is a precocious and mature player who arrives in the French team. Can we make a comparison between you and him?
I don’t like comparisons between generations. Certainly, the same position but with different qualities. He is early because he has been well prepared, because it is he, through what he is capable of doing on the pitch, to emerge in terms of a majority. Everyone has their own personality, their character, it is not for nothing that they are where they are with their club, what they have been able to achieve with continuity and there the happiness they have of join us in the France A team.
Given his age (17 years and 8 months), should he be managed differently than the others?
Leave him alone, don’t overdo it with him. He is highlighted, it is necessarily to the detriment of other players who have been there for a while. We have to give him time even if he has the capacity compared to what he does in Paris. There is an important resonance with the Blues. I trust him, we will talk about it calmly. He must maintain his serenity, his tranquility, and continue to do what he does. From the moment he’s here, whether he’s 17, 18, 19 or 20, I’m not going to get different treatment. The only thing I give to all the young players who arrive is to have a little more indulgence because wanting to be there and being there… the weight of the jersey is heavy. There are requirements, but it has everything. It has to happen naturally. I’m not going to cajole her a little more because that would mean that I consider him separately.
Do you share Luis Enrique’s opinion on the fact that Kylian Mbappé can help his team more in a match where he scores three goals?
I’m not going to go into data that I don’t have. That’s up to Kylian and his trainer. I’m not here to tease anyone, you have to ask those concerned. I don’t know what he asks of him in each match in different positions and systems. In management and communication, I am not saying that what Luis Enrique did is not good, I can do it differently, others can do it differently. It can happen, but it’s not just Kylian, it happens to all attackers. Do they prefer to have a great match and not score? I am not sure…
Ligue 1 is widely criticized for its current level of play. Do you share this opinion?
Ligue 1 is always difficult because there is this athletic predominance that is always present. In other championships, it’s not always a pleasure to watch from start to finish… I’ve never taken so many players from Ligue 1, that would mean I’m wrong (smile). Ligue 1 is competitive. It is no less good compared to what I can see elsewhere.
Antoine Griezmann plays in different positions at the club, does that give you ideas for the French team? Is he considered at his fair value in relation to everything he does?
The important thing is that Antoine touches the ball, that he is at the heart of the game. He is more useful when he drops out to participate in the game, which does not prevent him from being at the finish. When I see the seasons he has had, with the season he had in 2018, I am not saying that Modric did not deserve the Ballon d’Or, but Antoine could have. He’s not underrated, but perhaps he lacks recognition for everything he does. It may be due to his communication, we have already talked about it. But if he’s happy like that after all…
Do you perceive a gap between William Saliba’s performances at club, where he is extremely reliable, and in the French team?
He didn’t have a lot of playing time with us. He performs very well at the club. In selection he didn’t always find himself in the best conditions in matches where I performed quite a bit. He is not in the same psychological situation at the club, where he does not ask himself the question of whether he is going to play on the weekend. When he has playing time with us, he tells himself that he must perform well because there are people behind him. He is not in a psychological situation that is the same with his club. He has everything you need to take things to the next level.
On the right side, you recalled Jules Koundé and Jonathan Clauss to the right-back position. Does this close the debate on this post?
No debate is closed. We are always alert. Jonathan has returned well, we are making sure to be alert for all the players. Malo Gusto came with us during the last rally, we are watching other players just in case.
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