New era: What can France expect from Zinedine Zidane as head coach?

An unceremonious end to an illustrious career, but Zidane left with one promise – he’ll be back. He will lead France, whatever that may be, and try to make Les Bleus the best in the world. again.

That opportunity has come.

After 14 years, the curtain fell on the Didier Deschamps era in Miami on Saturday, as France lost 6-4 to England in the third-place play-off. According to French news outlet L’Equipe, Zidane is set to be announced as Deschamps’ successor, with his tenure set to begin on September 1. The first assignment will be the UEFA Nations League, where France is in the same group as…Italy!

Here’s what France can expect from Zidane:

Flexibility over fixation

While completing his coaching badge, Zidane drew inspiration from Pep Guardiola and Marcelo Bielsa. He spent weeks observing Guardiola at Bayern Munich and a few days studying Bielsa at Marseille, two coaches united in their obsession with possession.

Naturally, Zidane tried to replicate those principles during his first managerial job with Real Madrid Castilla. He reversed.

Castilla lost five of their first six league games and left as Zidane adopted that philosophy. He admitted that what worked for Guardiola wasn’t necessarily for him, and switched to a 4-2-3-1. Luck improved tremendously.

A willingness to adapt has become a defining characteristic of Zidane’s coaching career. As opposed to settling on a specific style, he is fluid with his formations.

Great at managing ego

While Castilla shone in the Segunda Division, the seniors were flat in La Liga. Real Madrid lost 4-0 in El Clasico – their worst result in five years. Rafael Benitez’s relationship with the dressing room and, most notably, with Cristiano Ronaldo, was strained.

In this situation, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez decided to drop Zidane – with no experience of managing a senior team – into the deep end. Many are not approved. It was believed that the huge ego would consume Zidane.

They didn’t.

Ronaldo contributed 142 goals in 114 matches under his leadership. Karim Benzema’s tally was 156 in 217.

Zidane was asked how he manages big names, who are difficult to manage. He said: “The bigger the player, the easier it is to manage them. Because they know what they’re doing. They’re focused. You just have to make sure you’re not trying to be bigger than them. I know that from my own personal experience, where coaches want to be bigger than the players, and it doesn’t work.”

Everyone defends

Zidane’s first message in the Real Madrid dressing room in 2016: “Everyone has to defend. There won’t be players in Zinedine Zidane’s team who don’t defend.”

In his first El Clásico, Real Madrid ended Barcelona’s 39-match unbeaten streak 2–1, with Ronaldo scoring the winning goal. Still, it wasn’t the goal that pleased Zidane the most, but how he tracked tirelessly down the left flank to assist Marcelo.

France’s attacking quality is undeniable. But there is room for improvement in his work off the ball. In this World Cup, they were ranked 33rd out of 48 teams; That gap was cut by 90 minutes; Spain, who edged them out, is ranked 13th.

Zidane is not the most skilled manager nor does he have such a distinctive brand that he has his own imprint like Guardiola. Still, France has scored two of its points.

First, he is a great man-manager. “Zidane has a relationship with the players. Don’t ask me why, but the players feel more sympathy for Zidane (than the previous manager),” Ronaldo had said.

“Zizou has a great human touch. Despite being a legend, he shows humility,” opined Marcelo.

Secondly, he is a serial winner. “I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I’m a winner. I do everything to win,” he once said.

Five is his lucky number. France are counting on Zidane to win a fifth major title.