France out to beat fortune’s fickle wheel

FRANCE coach Didier Deschamps is under pressure after federation finance chiefs said they have budgeted for a quarter-final spot in their annual report.

The 45-year-old – who captained France to their only triumph in the World Cup in 1998 – has been blessed in comparison to other European heavyweights in drawing an improving if unspectacular Switzerland, Ecuador, probably the weakest of the South American representatives, and minnows Honduras.

The French, who first face Honduras tomorrow, are looking for their first win at a finals after failing to achieve that in their previous two appearances, but Deschamps is mindful that a France riven by internal discord failed to progress from a similarly simple looking group in 2010.

With his key winger Franck Ribery ruled out for the tournament, it served as a reminder to the former Monaco, Marseille and Juventus coach that the fickle wheel of fortune could disrupt his plans right up till the last minute.

Deschamps, though, is looking no further than the first match.

“I have to say that my first target is to win the first match,” he said last month. “Because the last match we won in the group stage of a World Cup finals was in 2006. And even given all the respect that I have for this country, it was against Togo.

“It is imperative to win the first match in order to get yourself right into the competition.”

The French though, are notoriously slow starters – they haven’t won their opening game at a World Cup finals since the 1998 edition.

In-form Switzerland will take on Ecuador in the day’s early kickoff. — AFP