Beckham7
01-04-2002, 05:48 AM
Didier Deschamps hung up his boots at the end of last season, closing a glorious, trophy-laden career as a player for what he hoped would be a similarly successful one in coaching.
Quitting Valencia to take his first post with Monaco, Deschamps even took a pay-cut to seize the opportunity of beginning life on the touchline with the rich Principality club.
Former team-mates and coaches said he was made for the job. After all, Deschamps the player was always a leader of men, be it at Marseille, where he guided the first French team to win a European trophy, or Juventus, with whom he won just about everything.
Six months on, though, Monaco are 13th in the Championnat after a dreadful start to the season marked by rows between Deschamps and his star players.
The man who captained France to World Cup glory in 1998, and again at Euro 2000, admits he never thought being a coach would be so tough. "Even though I knew it would be hard, I never expected to be so far down the standings,'' he moaned.
Deschamps' team was beaten 1-0 at home by newly-promoted Sochaux on the opening day of the league campaign and only picked up two points from their first five games. It didn't take long for arguments to begin.
Although Deschamps brought in two Italians from his Juve days to establish the training programmes, his first problems were with Italian players.
Christian Panucci and Marco Simone had become symbols of the club, even though the former only joined on loan from Chelsea at first during the 2000-01 season. They led the criticism of previous coach Claude Puel and Simone in particular was well in with the senior management.
Deschamps seemed to reflect this by handing the former AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain striker the captain's armband at the beginning of the season.
Then it all went horribly wrong. Simone never got over being relegated to the subs' bench after the first few disappointing results – and the bickering began.
Romanian veteran Florin Raducioiu, another former AC Milan player, weighed in, criticising Deschamps for not keeping his pre-season word that he wanted him to stay.
Frenchman Nicholas Bonnal also had a go at Deschamps after he put six players on the transfer list, then former Lens forward
Wagneau Eloi joined in after being dropped from the squad.
"He didn't even take a look at me," he moaned. "I would have liked Didier Deschamps to see me and make a judgement for himself. I would have accepted his decision, but I've been sidelined without even being seen."
The atmosphere in a bloated squad was going downhill.
Deschamps decided to react. Panucci was invited to look elsewhere and ended up with Fabio Capello at Italian champions Roma.
But if matters had been tetchy with Panucci, they really got out of hand with Simone, who was packed off to AC Milan on loan. Simone is convinced Deschamps decided to offload his Italians at the outset.
"From day one, he wanted us out. I think it is because he has a problem working with players who have strong personalities. He simply has no idea how to be a manager," he bitched.
"The only reason that president Jean Louis Campora appointed him in the first place was because they were after a big name when Claude Puel left," added the forward, who is under contract with Monaco until 2004.
Not that a Simone return can be envisaged after his outburst last month in France Football. "I've known quite a few coaches in my time, but I cannot understand how Didier Deschamps was ever appointed coach of Monaco," he said.
"His management technique is catastrophic. He has simply not understood anything about being a coach. He thinks he is better than everyone else just because he won the World Cup."
Deschamps, a man not known for his fits of temper, got his own back by claiming those words came from a player who was "a substitute for the substitutes'' at AC Milan.
To replace the experience of the Italians, Deschamps turned to yet another Milan player, Oliver Bierhoff. And this time his instinct proved right. The German quickly settled and, being a model professional, his behaviour was just what Deschamps needed.
The disputes weren't over, though. Argentine ace Marcelo Gallardo was player of the year in 2000 after his starring role in Monaco's title triumph.
But the pocket-sized playmaker didn't make a bright start to the season and Deschamps put him on the bench for the game at Guingamp.
Gallardo refused to be a sub and was forced to watch another defeat from the stands. The spotlight was again on the team's trouble and strife.
While that squabble was ironed out, Monaco's poor form meant questions continued to be raised over Deschamps' competence. So far this season, Monaco have picked up just one point away from home, the worst record in the league.
They play at another slumbering giant, PSG, on Saturday, when Deschamps will again be without key players.
Injuries, like the rows, have been a regular headache for the coach. Ludovic Giuly, Moussa Saib, Lucas Bernardi, Gallardo, Jugovic, Jose Pierre-Fanfan, Bruno Irles and Mexico international Rafael Marquez have all been out for long periods.
Bierhoff has also had nagging problems, leaving Deschamps cursing lady luck. "Since the start of the season, I have never been able to put out the same team,'' he said.
Talk of the Champions' League has been replaced by a more modest discourse in Monaco these days but, with the French league proving a topsy-turvy affair where anyone can beat anyone else, Deschamps hopes the return of his main men in the next month will see his team get back where they belong.
After all, last year's champions Nantes are currently second-from-bottom and Auxerre, who flirted with relegation last season, are riding high in third place.
Who knows what tomorrow brings?
Whatever the next few months hold in store for Didier Deschamps, one thing is certain. Any notions he had about an easy transition from player to coach have been scotched.
"I have had to find new solutions, new line-ups practically every game,'' Deschamps lamented. "It is not easy.''
Quitting Valencia to take his first post with Monaco, Deschamps even took a pay-cut to seize the opportunity of beginning life on the touchline with the rich Principality club.
Former team-mates and coaches said he was made for the job. After all, Deschamps the player was always a leader of men, be it at Marseille, where he guided the first French team to win a European trophy, or Juventus, with whom he won just about everything.
Six months on, though, Monaco are 13th in the Championnat after a dreadful start to the season marked by rows between Deschamps and his star players.
The man who captained France to World Cup glory in 1998, and again at Euro 2000, admits he never thought being a coach would be so tough. "Even though I knew it would be hard, I never expected to be so far down the standings,'' he moaned.
Deschamps' team was beaten 1-0 at home by newly-promoted Sochaux on the opening day of the league campaign and only picked up two points from their first five games. It didn't take long for arguments to begin.
Although Deschamps brought in two Italians from his Juve days to establish the training programmes, his first problems were with Italian players.
Christian Panucci and Marco Simone had become symbols of the club, even though the former only joined on loan from Chelsea at first during the 2000-01 season. They led the criticism of previous coach Claude Puel and Simone in particular was well in with the senior management.
Deschamps seemed to reflect this by handing the former AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain striker the captain's armband at the beginning of the season.
Then it all went horribly wrong. Simone never got over being relegated to the subs' bench after the first few disappointing results – and the bickering began.
Romanian veteran Florin Raducioiu, another former AC Milan player, weighed in, criticising Deschamps for not keeping his pre-season word that he wanted him to stay.
Frenchman Nicholas Bonnal also had a go at Deschamps after he put six players on the transfer list, then former Lens forward
Wagneau Eloi joined in after being dropped from the squad.
"He didn't even take a look at me," he moaned. "I would have liked Didier Deschamps to see me and make a judgement for himself. I would have accepted his decision, but I've been sidelined without even being seen."
The atmosphere in a bloated squad was going downhill.
Deschamps decided to react. Panucci was invited to look elsewhere and ended up with Fabio Capello at Italian champions Roma.
But if matters had been tetchy with Panucci, they really got out of hand with Simone, who was packed off to AC Milan on loan. Simone is convinced Deschamps decided to offload his Italians at the outset.
"From day one, he wanted us out. I think it is because he has a problem working with players who have strong personalities. He simply has no idea how to be a manager," he bitched.
"The only reason that president Jean Louis Campora appointed him in the first place was because they were after a big name when Claude Puel left," added the forward, who is under contract with Monaco until 2004.
Not that a Simone return can be envisaged after his outburst last month in France Football. "I've known quite a few coaches in my time, but I cannot understand how Didier Deschamps was ever appointed coach of Monaco," he said.
"His management technique is catastrophic. He has simply not understood anything about being a coach. He thinks he is better than everyone else just because he won the World Cup."
Deschamps, a man not known for his fits of temper, got his own back by claiming those words came from a player who was "a substitute for the substitutes'' at AC Milan.
To replace the experience of the Italians, Deschamps turned to yet another Milan player, Oliver Bierhoff. And this time his instinct proved right. The German quickly settled and, being a model professional, his behaviour was just what Deschamps needed.
The disputes weren't over, though. Argentine ace Marcelo Gallardo was player of the year in 2000 after his starring role in Monaco's title triumph.
But the pocket-sized playmaker didn't make a bright start to the season and Deschamps put him on the bench for the game at Guingamp.
Gallardo refused to be a sub and was forced to watch another defeat from the stands. The spotlight was again on the team's trouble and strife.
While that squabble was ironed out, Monaco's poor form meant questions continued to be raised over Deschamps' competence. So far this season, Monaco have picked up just one point away from home, the worst record in the league.
They play at another slumbering giant, PSG, on Saturday, when Deschamps will again be without key players.
Injuries, like the rows, have been a regular headache for the coach. Ludovic Giuly, Moussa Saib, Lucas Bernardi, Gallardo, Jugovic, Jose Pierre-Fanfan, Bruno Irles and Mexico international Rafael Marquez have all been out for long periods.
Bierhoff has also had nagging problems, leaving Deschamps cursing lady luck. "Since the start of the season, I have never been able to put out the same team,'' he said.
Talk of the Champions' League has been replaced by a more modest discourse in Monaco these days but, with the French league proving a topsy-turvy affair where anyone can beat anyone else, Deschamps hopes the return of his main men in the next month will see his team get back where they belong.
After all, last year's champions Nantes are currently second-from-bottom and Auxerre, who flirted with relegation last season, are riding high in third place.
Who knows what tomorrow brings?
Whatever the next few months hold in store for Didier Deschamps, one thing is certain. Any notions he had about an easy transition from player to coach have been scotched.
"I have had to find new solutions, new line-ups practically every game,'' Deschamps lamented. "It is not easy.''