Zidane’s return from retirement will not truly solve French problems

The words ‘cometh the hour, cometh the man’ could not apply more, even if the ‘man’ is an old hand. Nothing has changed really- France need Zinedine Zidane as much today as they did during that famous World Cup final victory over Brazil in 1998. So when the maestro said “I have got my motivation back for France,” the country breathed a huge sigh of relief. And bought more tickets for the friendly against Ivory Coast on August 17th.

That Zidane announced his retirement after Euro2004 seems almost insignificant in a time when France are in real danger of not making it to next summer’s World Cup. After a qualifying campaign thus far riddled with coach Raymond Domenech’s feud with Robert Pires, a drought of goals despite David Trezeguet and Thierry Henry and a lack of vision in midfield, France lie in fourth position in their group. Though they have a game in hand, many expected them to stroll through a group containing Ireland, Israel, Cyprus, Switzerland and the Faroe Islands.

How wrong they were. Without Zidane France have still looked tremendous on paper but horrendous on the pitch. Henry and Trezeguet are lost up front without any service for a midfield comprised of Patrick Vieira and Alou Diarra, amongst others, is industrious but bland, nowhere near the quality that Zidane inspired with his playmaking. The numbers this time say it all- the once free-scoring France have managed to score only five goals in six qualifying games.

Though the country for now is euphoric about Zidane’s return – and, by the way, about Claude Makelele’s and Lilian Thuram’s also – the feel-good factor does not hide the fact that France have yet to find a replacement for him.

We hear of the ‘new Zidane’ annually and this year, on cue, 17-year-old Samir Nasri from Marseille has been touted. Looking to youth is one thing, praying for miracles another.

Perhaps a more sensible solution would be for Domenech to change his style of play to one which makes better use of the versatile Thierry Henry. If the link between midfield and attack is proving elusive then why not bring the attack a little back? After all, Henry has pace and can play deep while Trezeguet thrives on poaching in the box.

Indeed, Zidane coming back will shroud all these real issues in the French national team and we will see Domenech revert to the same tactics that his predecessors – Aime Jacquet, Roger Lemerre and Jacques Santini – used. Namely, all play will now go through Zidane and given the state of the French team, few could fault Domenech for a return to old ways.

There is of course the darker possibility that Zidane will not bring any pleasant change to France’s fortune. At 33, he is not the swiftest and looked weary on many occasions last season. Though he compensates for his lack of nimble legs at Real Madrid by other tricks and turns, the feeling that Zidane’s career is on the wane remains strong. His return, then, may not have the romantic impact that France are hoping for, which in turn may prompt some refreshing revisionism.

For now, though, ‘Zizou’ is back and no one more than Henry is feeling the immense impact: “It’s strong what I’m going to say, but it’s true. In France, for us, it’s like they are realizing there is God somewhere because he’s back.”

Sometimes divine intervention can be a bad thing.

Hasan Saiyid
TotalSoccer.ca writer/editor