“You asked for a turn at the head of Les Bleues and your wish was granted with the arrival of Hervé Renard and his staff. What is your analysis of the first four days of this change of era?
It’s nice to have a new project, with a lot of optimism, dynamism. Inevitably, there is very little time left to prepare for the World Cup (July 20-August 20). There is a lot of information to take in with the new staff. It’s nice to start again on an interesting project filled with determination.
What was your relationship with Hervé Renard before his arrival at Les Bleues?
I had this opportunity to meet Hervé with the France team in 2014, when he was a coach at Sochaux. Fox for Fox, we supported each other (smile). Professionally, I have always followed him in all the teams he has coached. Today he’s my trainer, it’s nice that he’s by my side, by our side. Today we are here for the same goal, the same common objective. I will give everything personally and we will do everything collectively to achieve them together.
“The coach saw the three of us with Eugénie (Le Sommer), Grace (Geyoro) and myself. He offered us his choice. I accepted it with pleasure. I am club captain, in selection I was. There is no problem with that. »
Everything went very quickly after your withdrawal from Les Bleues, and the arrival of the new staff…
It was the FFF who made the decision. I expressed myself, I indicated that I wanted to take a step back, and the Federation made decisions. It’s a new project that starts again, with a new coach, a new staff. It’s a positive momentum, we want to surf on it.
Did you immediately accept the captaincy?
The coach saw the three of us with Eugenie, Grace and myself. He offered us his choice. I accepted it with pleasure. I am club captain, in selection I was. There is no problem with that. It’s not a personal project, it’s a common project.
“There is not a Wendie Renard expectation, but a France team expectation. »
In terms of play, how does the new project materialize on the pitch?
Of course, the expectations are different. He asks us a lot of speed in the game, to play between the lines, to combine, to have a lot of relationships between us. All of this must happen on the pitch. All of this is only a few days old, but we already feel that what is setting in is different. Everyone agrees, that’s the most important thing, even if we still have a margin collectively.
Did your withdrawal, and those of a few players (Katoto, Diani), put additional pressure on your shoulders? Now the ball is in your court…
It’s normal when you say certain things, especially an experienced player like me (32 years old, 142 caps, 34 goals), inevitably I would be expected at the turn. But I did not wait for this kind of decision to be expected at the turn. I have been playing at the highest level for a very long time, at all matches I am expected, scrutinized. There is not a Wendie Renard expectation, but a France team expectation. The France team does not belong to me. I expressed myself personally, it was hard, but it was my choice, I assumed it and I will assume it. I haven’t given anyone an ultimatum at any time. I am proud to defend the colors of my country as I did the first time in 2011.”