Former France manager Raymond Domenech has offered his assessment of Zinedine Zidane's appointment as the new head coach of the French national team.
Zidane was officially inaugurated by French Football Federation President Philippe Diallo in Paris on Tuesday, succeeding Didier Deschamps after his 14-year tenure.
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Domenech, who managed Les Bleus from 2004 to 2010 and reached the 2006 World Cup final alongside Zidane, shared his perspective in an interview with Ouest France.
"The essence of being a national team manager is getting the maximum potential out of a group in a short period of time.
Zidane has the experience, the background, and the reputation to deliver messages," Domenech said.
He noted that managing a national team differs significantly from club management, emphasizing that results will ultimately shape public perception and media dynamics.
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"Experience will give us the answer, but we can assume that yes, he can succeed. But it is a different job than club coaching.
I don't know how he will operate with the media, with his reserved image, or his contact with the players," Domenech added.
"If he gets results, the way he speaks will follow. It's the internal message that matters.
If there are no results, that is when questions will follow," he said.
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Zidane's managerial career includes leading Real Madrid to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles starting in 2016, along with a La Liga title in 2020 before stepping down in May 2021.
