“I’m the boss, I’m the gaffer”: France
With Euro 2016 upon us, we have given each of our Hurlers on the Ditch team the choice of managing any of the countries who will play in France this summer. Here, we offer them the chance to explain their picks and to outline how they might lead their new team to glory in Paris. Today is the turn of Graham Barry, newly appointed manager of tournament hosts, France.
The 2010 World Cup in South Africa was a low point for the French Football Federation. The eyes of the world were on them. Having qualified through dubious circumstances (which I won’t mention), they were expected to perform. They didn’t. The selection of French footballers sent to South Africa to represent their country as a team could not have looked more like a group of individuals if they tried.
After a 0–0 draw with Uruguay in their first match of the tournament, the 2006 runners up found themselves level with Mexico at halftime in their second match; yet again without a goal. It was during the interval in this match when things went from bad to worse. Nicolas Anelka, who started both matches is alleged to have gone on a “profanity laden rant” aimed at head coach Raymond Domenech. While it has never been exactly revealed what Anelka is supposed to have said, reports suggest he instructed Domenech what to do with himself, and informed him of his mother’s, shall we say, profession, if you catch my drift.
Anelka was substituted straight away, sent home from the French camp and slapped with an 18 match international ban, all but ending his France career. France went on to lose 2–0 to Mexico. The other players weren’t overly happy with the treatment of Anelka, and in turn, refused to train the next day. The team were viewed as a national embarrassment, with then President Nicolas Sarkozy labelling Anelka’s rant as “unacceptable”.
France crashed out of the tournament in disgrace after losing a must win game against host nation, South Africa. Sent home with their tail between their legs, it was a far cry from the French team from the turn of the millennium. A team that created heroes for our generation. Henry, Zidane, Trezeguet, Pires, Viera; the list could go on and on. But as for that 2010 team? There’s no young lads running around a green saying “Bagsy being Sidney Govou!!”.
However, in recent years, something strange has happened. French football has come into a new era. Under the guidance of Didier Deschamps, we now see what I like to call France 2.0. The team is packed full of household names, including a good mix of young talent and experienced footballers. Players like Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Kingsley Coman and Antoine Griezmann are making names for themselves on the world stage at some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Playing a 4–3–3 formation throughout a run of friendlies during the qualifying campaign, they have scored three or more goals in each of their last four matches. Their attacking and midfield options will be giving Didier Deschamps, I mean, ehm.. me, some selection headaches. But I’ll try put together a team that I feel can win the Euros on home soil.
The goalkeeper and back four are pretty easy to put together with Hugo Lloris starting in nets behind a back four of Sagna, Rami, Koscielny and Évra. Raphael Varane would have gotten the start at centre back ahead of Rami, but injury has ruled him out of the tournament.
It’s when you get to midfield that the choices become difficult. Somebody has to miss out, there’s no two ways about it. I’m going to opt for a midfield trio of Pogba, Kanté and Payet. This is the tournament in which Pogba can announce himself on the world stage. Reports of a €120 million asking price from Juventus have to be warranted, and this is where everyone will be watching. Kanté showed with Leicester this season that he is one of the biggest work-horses in the Premier League, he just does not stop running. He gets the start ahead of Moussa Sissoko of Newcastle.
Playing a little further back on the left hand side than he’d like, Payet rounds out the midfield. An explosive debut in which he came off the bench and managed to fire home a free kick from roughly 35 yards out, the West Ham man is yet another French star experiencing a breakout season. His free kicks are astounding. He’s in.
With Karim Benzema out of the picture, the front three becomes an easy selection. Griezmann on the right, Martial on the left with Giroud through the centre. Griezmann is a player constantly linked with a move away from Atletico Madrid, and understandably so. His pace and control on the ball make him a defender’s nightmare. An ability to run either right through, or right past a defender, make him one of the most dangerous players in the tournament.
Although Martial might prefer to play in the centre, it was on the left wing where he found most of his success in his debut season at Manchester United. Cutting in from the flank, he has developed an ability to either shoot from distance or make a run into the box, displaying maturity beyond his years in deciding between a shot or squaring the ball into the centre. If he manages that in this tournament, Olivier Giroud will surely be hammering in the goals from the centre. Either latching onto square balls from Martial and Griezmann on the wings, or perhaps a through ball from Pogba or Kanté in the centre, he has found an eye for goal in recent weeks that he will be looking to carry forward into the tournament.
