Following a dinner on Monday evening which reunited members of France’s 1998 World Cup winning squad, former Arsenal man Robert Pirès has downplayed potential tensions between Zinedine Zidane and Didier Deschamps over the France managerial post.
“What I can say is that there isn’t really a fracture,” said the former Arsenal midfielder, and said that Didier Deschamps’ absence from the 98′ World Cup team’s meetings are normal, explaining that “It’s sometimes difficult to meet all the demands, now you just have to respect those who don’t. Some of the guys have decided to go in another direction, that’s how it is.”
Pirès then spoke about the general atmosphere surrounding the 98′ squad, which has been tapering in recent months, “Whatever happens, we remain united, we remain a family, we have created something unique around France and we must not let that disappear.”
As they do regularly, the 1998 world champions gathered at a dinner organised on Monday in Paris. Not all of them were present. But it is the absence of Didier Deschamps that is the most talked about, with Emmanuel Petit saying that the current France manager has lost contact with the rest of the squad.
GFFN | George Boxall
