Zidane returns to Clairefontaine

September 1st, 2010 | by: Jean-François |

There are only two days before France’s decisive match against Belarus. From what I’ve seen, Laurent Blanc is keeping a positive atmosphere at Les Bleus’ headquarters. To reinforce the optimism, Le President invited Zinedine Zidane to Clairefontaine to spend the day with the team. This was a huge confidence boost for the team as a whole. The morale was very high, and even the players who could not train because of soreness or injury attended the whole entire secession on the sidelines.

This is the first time I remember Zizou really spending time with the team since his retirement. Sure he would sometimes go to the games and sit in the VIP Boxes and mention them in interviews or press conferences, but this is different. Could you imagine if Zizou worked with the team like Barthez does?

Zidane didn’t really ever criticize Domenech in public. By waiting for the new coach to acknowledge the team in this way, I think this shows that he also did not like Raymond very much.

Below is a video I uploaded to Youtube of Zidane’s interview at Clairefontaine. In this exclusive video, Zizou discusses the reasons for his coming to Clairefontaine and the message he delivered to Les Bleus after participating the training secession in the morning.

Also, there has been another squad update. Yohan Cabaye, who was just called up as a replacement for Lassana Diarra has been ruled out of both matches due to injury. St. Etienne’s Blaise Matuidi has been called up as the replacement. How do you guys feel about this? I am sad because I was excited to possibly see Cabaye Play.

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sandrahn

There are no adequate words in any of the languages I know to express how much I am loving this. I heart zizou like no one else in the football universe.
Jeff

For my taste, Laurent Blanc’s efforts to motivate the side seem a little heavy handed. Do they really need to be motivated to have a desire to win for their national team?
Michel-Olivier

he selected a mercenary scum instead of inform players like tabanou, martin, pedretti and capoue.
Jean-Michel

good move by Blanc..having the talisman of the old guard come in and learn these up and comers a thing or two about what it means to be where they are.
Aditya

All our offensive playmakers injured! I think Sissoko would have been a better choice then Matuidi. Sissoko can play as a powering AM.

So far I have really liked what Blanc has done. But what will matter most is the results on the pitch. I hope those start to come soon enough as well.

I would probably just do ball watching if I was one of players training at Clairefontaine!
Michel-Olivier Alessandre

he selected a mercenary scum instead of inform players like tabanou, martin, pedretti and capoue.
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ Jean-François Racinet

Apparently Sissoko is injured as well. Seems like whenever there are injuries they all happen at the same time! I am moving to France in 10 days, I really wish I was there today, I would be at Clairefontaine for sure!
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ Jean-François Racinet

Yes, this was, in my opinion, a great move. It's funny, its only been 4 years but the majority of the team never had the privilege to play with Zizou.
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ Jean-François Racinet

Tabanou and Capoue are already in Kiev for the espoirs match against Ukraine on Friday. They and Marvin Martin are all still young. I can see your argument for Pedretti, but he has almost 30 years. Matuidi is a replacement of a replacement, so of course he is going to be a mercenary. He will probably get 0 minutes, as I'm sure Blanc is more interested in Diaby, Diarra, and M'vila (I'm not to fond of Diarra, even as a BDX fan). However M'vila is pretty good.
Jean-Michel

4 years does seem like an eternity. Did Mexes ever get called up during his era?
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ Jean-François Racinet

Yes, Mexes has played with Zizou some. He has never gotten called up for a competition though, only for friendlies and qualifiers. Zizou and Mexes played Bosnia together for the last time in 2006.
http://france.worldcupblog.org/ OffsideSarah

Blaise Matuidi is mercenary scum? I am assuming you are referring to some racist and xenophobic concept of what it means to be “French.” He has played for two clubs in his career- Troyes and St. Etienne. Neither of which are known to offer huge salaries. I have to say if this is the type of French values/morals you keep going on about- Im glad that none of these players embody that!
http://thebeantownfrog.blogspot.com/ GFC

A great move by Blanc to have Zizou in camp – http://bit.ly/c3yJdO – as for Matuidi in for Cabaye who is in for Diarra, the pecking order for holding midfielder appears defined: LDiarra/M'Vila/ADiarra/ADiaby first choice, Cabaye/Matuidi second tier. After that? Cheyrou? Mavuba?