There is fire at the FFF, but behind the Noël Le Graët controversy, Didier Deschamps succeeded by extending his contract at the head of the Blues. A victory at all costs acquired under the nose of Zinedine Zidane. And the recent denial of “DD” does not weigh heavily for Daniel Riolo.
In the current slump of the French Football Federation, Noël Le Graët has been sidelined while waiting to learn more about the investigation launched into his behavior and his management of the case. On the other hand, despite a few questions and a way of doing things which greatly displeased, Didier Deschamps was extended until the 2026 World Cup and nothing can change this decision taken on the sly. It makes overall sense from a sporting point of view, both‘French team has never seen such consistency in results at the highest level in its history, with three major competition finals out of the last four.
Benzema, the only downside to Deschamps
In terms of play, there are criticisms that can fall on Didier Deschamps, and in particular the fact that the Blues defend and suffer a lot in big games despite a golden generation and some of the best players in the world. In terms of group management, if everything is generally positive, the Karim Benzema case, from his return until his departure on the eve of the start of the World Cup, has raised big questions. These are now swept away by the announcement of the Real Madrid striker of his international retirement.
“Didier Deschamps supported Noël Le Graët! I’m sorry but the results and the fact that he shines at the head of the France team, that can no longer cover him!”
Daniel Riolo in #ThisYou ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/qPviaNF9cD
— C to you (@cavousf5) January 11, 2023
But at present, if Didier Deschamps is singled out, it is on his great complicity with Noël Le Graët, whom he has not let go despite the extravagant outing of the president of the FFF on Zinedine Zidane, who has triggered a real outcry. “ His comments, as he acknowledged and admitted, were inappropriate. I think it’s a very good thing that he apologized to Zizou. The sporting situation has led to a sporting rivalry between the two of us, even for some an opposition. “, explained Didier Deschamps in front of the press. A sporting rivalry and nothing more? This is not at all the opinion of Daniel Riolo, who dreams of a huge sweep in the 3F and takes the national coach into it.
Riolo accuses Deschamps of wanting to overtake Zidane
For the “Big Mouth” of After Foot, the denial of Didier Deschamps, where he assures that he has enormous respect for his former teammate, does not hold water for a second. Daniel Riolo goes even much further, saying that the coach of the Blues were ready to stay in office, only to prevent Zidane from succeeding him. “ He is stuck, he is splashed because from the start, he has been hand in hand with Noël Le Graët. I still remember very clear interviews where Didier Deschamps said that all that was said about Noël Le Graët was gossip, that there would never be anything, that the audit would be empty. He supported him, I’m sorry but the results and the fact that he shines with the France team, at some point it can no longer cover him. Today, even without wanting to speak, he admitted a rivalry with Zidane. I support the theory that he would have stayed at all costs if only to block Zidane’s path. He would have suffered terribly to see Zidane succeed him. It’s a matter of ego, we know very well that they are not friends contrary to what the legend would have you believe “, delivered the polemicist on the antenna of C to you. A frontal attack which corroborates a lot of information from recent weeks, that the respective agents of Didier Deschamps and Zinedine Zidane are also at war.
One more stone in the garden of the FFF, where internal struggles have already done a lot of damage. The proof with the announcement of the extension of Didier Deschamps’ contract which even surprised the members of the executive committee, kept away from the discussions and even from the decision, until the last moment. Not to mention the showdown won by Jean-Pierre Bernès, Didier Deschamps’ agent, who managed to convince Le Graët to give his foal a four-year contract, against the two initially planned. And the current setbacks of the president of the FFF do not change the situation of “DD” who will be the boss of the Blues for the next few years.