EXCLUSIVE: European Champion Alain Giresse on France's struggles ahead of Belgium clash
There are some players who never go out of fashion. Mainly because they created a footballing legacy in their country. Giresse is undoubtedly one of those.
A star player in the France side that came close to reaching the World Cup final in 1982 and went on to win the European Championship 1984, the first-ever major trophy for Les Bleus, the former midfielder always keeps a close eye on his country's team.
In this interview with Flashscore, Giresse talks to us about the current France side with a nostalgic but frank perspective ahead of their last-16 match in Dusseldorf.
40 years ago, you were one of the stars of France's first major triumph. What did that mean?
"It was an important moment for our football. We made a giant leap in the level of play and mentality. We were the first to win, and to start the great national football movement."
Today, in the middle of another European Championship, what is your impression of the French team?
"They qualified (for the next stage), but through mediocre performances. But their game is not there yet. There are some historical exceptions of successes, like that of Italy in the '82 World Cup, but I'm not going to explain that here (laughs). The Azzurri in Spain, after three draws in the first round, won the World Cup...."
So you think this France side can do something similar after a slow start?
"I just think that to move forward you have to do much better. Starting with the construction of the game and ending with better finishing."
With just an own goal and one penalty, it seems France are having big problems scoring...
"I noticed a certain clumsiness in the final third. We failed to be incisive even after generating chances. We were too dependent on (Kylian) Mbappe, someone who dragged the team to the World Cup final. That same game against Argentina was emblematic of our dependence on him."
What do you mean?
"Argentina had outclassed us in the game, giving us virtually no options. And he brought France back into the game practically single-handedly. And now, even with a broken nose, he still scored the penalty against Austria. But we cannot depend only on one player, even though he is very strong."
It seems that France also lack a creator in the middle of the pitch...
"Here too, Mbappe's performance is the classic trompe l'oeil because his goals hide the team's flaws. We have no creators in the middle of the field, and now that (Antoine) Griezmann is not as good as usual, there are issues."
However, there is N'Golo Kante, who is having a great tournament despite his move to Saudi Arabia, right?
"Luckily he is there, I would say. But we are still talking about a player who excels in destruction and certainly not in creation. Today there is little organisation and too much verticality in transition, hence little order."
Compared to your France team, this feels like a very different side culturally...
"Absolutely. I think the word 'cultural' is crucial to understand the change. There has been a cultural evolution because we used to base our entire game on the possession of the ball and the construction of attacks through possession.
"Today, France goes on a drumbeat, relying on counterattacks. And, above all, we don't have a real number 10, even though this happens everywhere now."
Apart from midfielders with technique like you and Jean Tigana, there is a lack of a Michel Platini or a Zinedine Zidane, isn't there?
"Platini marked one generation. Zidane another. Now it is Mbappe who is marking the current generation, but he still needs to be accompanied. In our team there were many of us, there was even (Bernard) Genghini on the bench. Today, however, we cannot create play."
Some are clamouring for the inclusion of Eduardo Camavinga in place of Adrien Rabiot. What do you think?
"We are talking about a footballer who is not a (Roberto) Baggio nor an (Alessandro) Del Piero. I think the only one who can turn the light on in France's game is Griezmann. We need him to recover, to find effectiveness in the fluidity of the game."
Would you change anything in the attack?
"For the moment, it seems that we can only count on Kylian, because (Olivier) Giroud is no longer his old self, although his presence would help Mbappe to find more space, as happened at the World Cup. (Ousmane) Dembele makes a lot happen but does not materialise his actions. And there is a clear lack of a finisher."
You don't think Mbappe is a finisher?
"He is but I have seen him little in the area. He likes to start from the left and even when he is deployed as a centre forward he has a tendency to move to the wing. And so the area ends up being inexorably empty. We must score, we cannot always have an own goal or a penalty in our favour!"
Do you think the match against Belgium could be tricky?
"It must be said, first of all, that Belgium is not the team of 2018 when they surprised everyone and had their best players in top form. Today's Belgium is also too cautious, which seems odd to me. However, if France does not take control and change something in their approach to the match, they could be in big trouble."
Finally, a word about Georgia, a national team that you coached in 2005...
"They did a wonderful job, starting from the basics. It all started from the federal academies created when I was there. They were heroic, even last night against Spain, where they approached the game very well and put the Iberians in trouble."
Your compatriot Willy Sagnol must be responsible for this success too, right?
"I congratulate him a lot because he has achieved an extraordinary feat. Today I often hear from the president and vice-president. They are two former players I coached when I was there. They are reaping the fruits of a great job. And (Giorgi) Mamardashvili is so far the best goalkeeper of the European Championship, without a doubt!"