The outputs of Corinne Deacon are always interesting, because they allow to see a little more clearly on the functioning of the French women’s team. Her desire to rejuvenate her group, the absences of Amandine Henry and Eugénie Le Sommer, the captaincy given back to Wendie Renard, the coach of the Bleues gave herself straight to the Team in a long interview published on Thursday, while that are already looming the Euro (July 6 to 31, 2022) and the World Cup 2023.
Corinne Deacon first returns to the two positive results (10-0 in Greece, 3-2 in Slovenia) counting for the World Cup qualifiers: “The state of mind has existed for a few months. We’ve been through so many events, ups and downs – more downs than ups – that everyone is forged. Girls are more and more natural. Sportingly, we are doing very well. But it takes time to build things (…) Over the course of certain discussions, I felt that the distance that I was taking for their good, they did not see it like that. I wanted to leave them alone so badly that I certainly cut myself off from them at some point. ”
With Wendie Renard, “we have renewed the dialogue”
Corinne Deacon also reconsidered her decision to entrust again the captain’s armband to Wendie Renard, of which she had nevertheless dispossessed herself upon her arrival at the head of the Blue in 2017: “We have resumed the dialogue. I know we can trust each other. Without it, it doesn’t work. We both know what to stick to. Wendie is honest, loyal. I’m glad she accepted. Wendie, she’s a leader. I think she also has confidence in the game plan. And we have a common goal ”
The tactician of the Blue also returned at length to Amandine Henry, the former captain, and Eugenie Le Sommer, top scorer in the history of the Blue (86 goals). The two players were not selected for the start of qualifying for the 2023 World Cup, but they remain “selectable” for Deacon.
We remember that in an interview with Canal + in November last year, Amandine Henry had shown all her bitterness after being sidelined from the group. “From the moment you appoint someone captain, it is imperative to have confidence. I no longer trust Amandine as a captain. But she remains a selectable player (…) It’s a subject that, for me, should have been dealt with internally. I was surprised because I was not aware of what was said. Before talking to the media, it would have been nice to just talk to the person concerned. It is good, at times, to wash your dirty laundry with the family. “
Regarding Le Sommer, who was loaned to OL Reigns in the United States: “I look first at the performances, and then what is good for the team between keeping some old ones or creating something new. If you only take old ones, it can’t work in the long run. For Eugenie, it’s a choice, but that doesn’t mean she can’t come back. As for Amandine, it is selectable ”.
