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Paris: Didier Deschamps, who was officially unveiled as France coach on Monday, said he will not tolerate the bad behaviour which marred the national team’s last two major tournaments.
The 1998 World Cup-winning captain has taken over from Laurent Blanc after Les Bleus, who mutinied at the 2010 World Cup, went out with a whimper to eventual champions Spain in the Euro 2012 quarter final.
Four players, including midfielder Samir Nasri who launched a foul-mouthed rant against a reporter, are due to face a disciplinary hearing on July 27 over their misbehaviour at the tournament in Ukraine and Poland.
“I’m something of a perfectionist. I’m not here to threaten people or what have you, I’m trusting, but today the situation in French football is such that the players can no longer make mistakes,” he told a news conference a day after being named coach.
Deschamps believes the national side are still recovering from the amazing scenes in South Africa two years ago when players refused to train in support of striker Nicolas Anelka, who had been sent home for verbally abusing then coach Raymond Domenech. “Given the history that dates back to 2010, professional players who wear the team jersey of France have very important duties,” the former coach of Olympique Marseille, Juventus and Monaco said.
“Today, players cannot afford the slightest deviation. I will not analyse what happened in Ukraine. I will take time to reflect, to have a deep think as I always do, while awaiting the decision of the Disciplinary Committee.”
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