Laurent Blanc, new manager, speaks

July 7th, 2010 | by: jeff |

France’s new manager, former central defender Laurent Blanc, has spoken to the press for the first time since taking over from the “much-maligned” Raymond Domenech (a common phrase, but Martin Tyler used it in tonight’s Spain-Germany match to describe Doms, and it’s perfectly fitting).

In the U.S., the World Cup rights-holder, ESPN, brought in big guns from England for this World Cup: Martin Tyler and Ian Darke. They’ve both been pretty good. I’m on record as a big Martin Tyler fan, and Ian Darke found his footing after a match or two, and has been pretty decent. Better than any American we have. His side-kick has been the American John Harkes. I’ve been a huge critic of ESPN, especially the woeful J.P. Dellacamera, but I tip my hat to ESPN for substantially improving their coverage, and ESPN3.com is a revelation.

I’ve been following the development of web-based broadcasting closely, and it’s important to Americans and others in remote areas where decent football coverage is hard to come by, or at least very expensive. In the last year or so, the coverage and technology have blossomed. Have any of you tried renting movies from i-Tunes? The next step for football coverage should be some kind of hybrid streaming-download approach. Give i-Tunes a few minutes to get a download started, and you can watch a movie like it was from a DVD. ESPN3.com is mostly excellent, but when it’s struggling, it will sacrifice image quality. Mind you, this is infinitely better than the old days, 4 or 5 years ago, when Real Player was the standard, and viewers were lucky to make it through a couple minutes without the image freezing.

Will it be Tyler of Darke for the final?

Blanc’s interviews come on the heels of two nominations for player bans. Outgoing FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes put forward Nicolas Anelka as a nominee for a life-time ban from Les Bleus, and France’s most-capped player, Lilian Thuram, and the scorer of an incredible double in the 1998 World Cup semi-final, put forward Captain Patrice Evra as a nominee for a similar ban. Anelka did himself no favors by being woeful when finally given a chance to play in the World Cup, capped by verbally abusing the manager, albeit, according to Thierry Henry, in a mumble, and being sent home. Evra, likewise, failed to shower himself in glory by leading a boycott of match practice during the World Cup when France looked like they could use all the practice they could get.

Blanc indicated that he agreed with Thuram about being shocked that the players would boycott practice. He mostly kept his cards close, but he talked about wanting to select players with the right attitude, whom he could trust. The tone of the interviews, I watched video of the one he did with Canal Plus, was grave. He apparently sees no humor in the current state of the France team.

Here’s a widely distributed quote: “What bothers me is that, after the World Cup, a new coach should be able to lean on a hard core of players,” Blanc said. “This hard core is not even a melon’s pip. My task is to find a hard core within this team. Everyone wishes me luck. I get the impression I’m heading toward suicide or the guillotine.”

Here’s a link to an article that might have more quotes, and here’s a link (in French) to the Canal Plus interview.

I’m not sure what this has to do with anything, but as a player, Laurent Blanc was a tidy defender – a very good player, and reliable.

France World Cup Blog RSS Feed

http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/WSG5MFNWCXAXDLW5U2T432LJGA Phil

It's simple: keep all the Ligue 1 based players such as Lloris and Toulalan, with the exception of the eager youngster such as Sagna, and fire the rest of them.
http://france.worldcupblog.org Jeff

If you read between the lines, it sounds like Blanc is thinking along the same lines.
JeanFrancoisRacinet

Sounds like a great idea, Phil. The only players that play outside of France that I would call up (at this moment) are Sagna, Nasri, Mexes (possibly), Maybe Flamini? I honestly do not know a thing about Lassana Diarra's health, but if he recovers I would like him back in the mix. I think Blanc will clean the house. If he allows the older players to return, they'll have to earn their spot under his watch.
sandra350

Can't agree with you about Ian Darke at all. Been listening to this guy for yrs and he's always trashing the French (he's a blatant francophobe) and he's incredibly pompous, full of cheap moral outrage. Ick. Martin Tyler offers very little (none, actually) analysis but he's inoffensive. He mostly talks about gossip and stuff that's gone on in the past. Prefer him to Darke, who's insufferably sanctimonious. Harkes is ok, a lightweight, no depth to his comments but, like Tyler, inoffensive.
http://thebeantownfrog.blogspot.com/ GFC

I am not sure there is enough talent in Ligue 1. Off the top of my head the line up could look like this, if you play a 4-1-3-2 as Blanc hinted at – http://bit.ly/bCeHCc

Lloris
Reveilliere, Sakho, Rami, Fanni
Toulalan
Mounier, Gourcuff, Valbuena
Remy, Gameiro

Not a terrible line up but you are passing up – Ribery, Benzema, Malouda, Menez, Nasri, Cisse, Sagna (although @Phil would keep him), Clichy, Diaby, LDiarra, Squillaci…and the list goes on. I agree with what Blanc said – he will take the players in the best form on the pitch, but they need to adhere to his rules…
JeanFrancoisRacinet

TO SEE THE PRESS CONFERENCE CLICK ON THIS LINK: I uploaded the video, the audio is in French.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYXeh21Sb6Y

Also, feel free to subscribe to me.
http://france.worldcupblog.org Jeff

The francophobe vibe seems to play to a certain segment of the audience that Darke is normally broadcast to, and he started this tournament, partnered with Ally McCoist, trying out that standard shtick. After that, I thought he grew into the tournament, came to grips with who his audience was, and had some good matches.

I thought Martin Tyler was great last night. He'll be straight-laced for an hour, deferring to the co-commentator, then he'll throw out the essence of the match in one line. Last night, his comment about how the German midfielders won't ever get around to thinking about creating anything while they're so pre-occupied trying to avert disaster was exactly right.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Gaston-Mulisanga/1102718568 Gaston Mulisanga

i hope he has all the support and is not used as scape goat for FFF mistakes, anyway the task will be tough for him, his laying the foundation for france, possible for the next 10 years so its very crucial he succeeds
johnjohn10

Great post and I also thought that Tyler and Darke did a great job.

As for Blanc i'm happy for him but there is no question he has a big job in front if him to make France a team again in time for the Euro.
Nicolas

It's difficult to know what his ideas are at this point. I think he hasn't made his mind about what really happened at Knysna. He seems to be focused on his staff now, and then when it's done he will start to think about the players.
But, yes, the task is very difficult. This generation isn't as good as the former, there is no new Zidane, and everything has to be built out of scrap.
I wouldn't mind if we don't get good results at once (even though the teams we will face this year are relatively weak) as long as Blanc tries to built a team that will make it in the long run. But I'm afraid the press is not that patient. THe pressure will be hard.
I don't think we can afford to fire players like Ribéry or Malouda. Let us not make the same mistakes that Dom made in 2004-05.
ThomasSessegnon

What about say

Lloris
Reveillere-Rami-Sakho-Cissokho
Toulalan-Cheyrou
Remy-Gourcuff-Valbuena
Gignac

That's not a bad side.
http://thebeantownfrog.blogspot.com/ GFC

No doubt some talent is playing in Ligue 1. But excluding the talent playing abroad would be to cut off our nose to spite our faces…

One thing, I am a little let down by Gignac. I think he has taken a step back after a spectacular season for Toulouse 2 years ago, granted injuries could be the cause.
JeanFrancoisRacinet

This would be my squad against Norway on August 11

Goalkeepers:
Lloris
Mandanda
Frey?

Defenders:
Sagna
Ciani
Clichy
Squillaci
Mexes
*Toulalan
Fanni
(not sure about Abidal or Evra, I'll let Blanc decide their fate)

Midfielders:
Malouda
Nasri
Gourcuff
Valbuena
L. Diarra
*Toulalan
Diaby
Cheyrou
A.Diarra
Ribery

Forwards:
Benzema
Hourau
Gignac
Ben Arfa

I'll let Blanc decide on the fate of Anelka, Evra, Abidal, Henry, Gallas, Ribery….Should they decide to return.
Francois23

Blanc mentioned that the 4-1-3-2 is his favourite formation. In that case, I think that for the the Euro qualifying games, he will probably chose from the following:

FW FW
D.Cissé K.Benzema
L.Rémy K.Gameiro
A.Gignac L.Saha
B.Gomis D.Ngog
G.Hoarau F.Piquionne
J.Biabiany N.Roux
Y.Tafer M.Gueye
P.Luyindula

LW AM RW
F.Malouda Y.Gourcuff S.Nasri
J.Menèz S.Feghouli J.Briand
C.N'Zogbia J.Cabaye M.Valbuena
G.Kakuta B.Cheyrou H. Ben Arfa
F.Sinama Pongolle G.Sértic K.Ait Fana
J.Aliadière
S.Govou

DM
J.Toulalan
L.Diarra
M.Flamini
A.Diaby
A.Diarra
Y.M'Villa
M.Sissoko
M.Gonalons
R.Mavuba

LB CB CB RB
G.Clichy P.Mexès S.Squillaci B.Sagna
J.Mathieu M.Ciani J.Escudé A.Reveillère
A. Cissokho L.Koscielny M.Planus R.Fanni
B.Trémoulinas M.Sakho A.Rami P.Chimbonda
T.Kolodziejczak R.Zubar S. Corchia

G
H.Lloris
S.Mandanda
C.Carrasso
M.Landreau
S.Frey
N.Douchez
T.Richert

*I did not add Evra, Anelka, Ribéry and Abidal pending Blanc's decision
mikael44

FW—————–FW
D.Cissé———-K.Benzema
L.Rémy———-K.Gameiro
A.Gignac———L.Saha
B.Gomis———D.Ngog
G.Hoarau——-F.Piquionne
J.Biabiany——N.Roux
Y.Tafer——–M.Gueye
P.Luyindula

LM—————-AM—————–RM
F.Malouda———Y.Gourcuff———S.Nasri
J.Menèz———–S.Feghouli———J.Briand
C.N'Zogbia———J.Cabaye———-M.Valbuena
G.Kakuta———-B.Cheyrou———H. Ben Arfa
F.SinamaPongolle–G.Sértic———–K.Ait Fana
————————————-J.Aliadière
————————————-S.Govou

DM
J.Toulalan
L.Diarra
M.Flamini
A.Diaby
A.Diarra
Y.M'Villa
M.Sissoko
M.Gonalons
R.Mavuba

LB—————-CB———-CB——————-RB
G.Clichy———-P.Mexès——S.Squillaci———B.Sagna
J.Mathieu——–M.Ciani——-J.Escudé———-A.Reveillère
A. Cissokho——L.Koscielny—-M.Planus———-R.Fanni
B.Trémoulinas—–M.Sakho—–A.Rami————P.Chimbonda
T.Kolodziejczak—-R.Zubar————————S. Corchia

G
H.Lloris
S.Mandanda
C.Carrasso
M.Landreau
S.Frey
N.Douchez
T.Richert
henri

CM Benoit Pedretti had a solid year, and so did Etienne Capoue. What about Mathieu Chalme at RB?
Hsdods33

Blaise Matuidi is a good holding midfielder too, and Sylvain Marveaux is a solid attacking midfielder. Also, Mathieu Debuchy can play both fullback and midfield.
Guingampstommy76

What about Sylvain Marveaux + Blaise Matuidi at midfield, and Mathieu Debuchy at RB?
Gerwer888

florent balmont is a solid holding midfielder at lilles, and ruffier is a good goaltender
Merlinlaterreur99

add younes kaboul at CB