Laurent Blanc quit as Bordeaux coach on Sunday and confirmed he
wants to succeed Raymond Domenech as France manager after the World
Cup.
Bordeaux, which wanted Blanc to see out his contract and stay
with the club until June 2011, said Sunday in a statement that it
will hold talks with the French federation over compensation.
Blanc, who guided Bordeaux to the French league title in
2009, was part of the France team that won the World Cup in 1998
and the European Championship in 2000.
The French federation has already offered Blanc the job and
is expected to announce him as Domenech's successor next week after
a meeting of its federal council.
"The FC Girondins de Bordeaux have just been informed by
their coach Laurent Blanc that he wishes to respond favorably to an
offer by the FFF to become the France coach," Bordeaux said.
The 44-year-old Blanc ended Bordeaux's 10-year wait for the
French title in just his second season in charge and looked poised
for another successful year when his team held a 10-point lead atop
the French standings at the winter break.
But a run of poor results saw Bordeaux slump to sixth place
and fail to qualify for European competition next year.
Bordeaux criticized the French federation after its president
Jean-Pierre Escalettes said earlier this season he would be
interested to see Blanc replace Domenech.
Bordeaux said the "damaging statements by members of the FFF
have undoubtedly affected the end of the 2009-10 season."
Escalettes said Blanc informed him of the decision to leave
in a phone call.
"This declaration of interest rejoices me," Escalettes said
in a statement. "Laurent Blanc's sporting past, personality and
charisma fit the profile of the coach the FFF is looking for to
consolidate France ambitions beyond the World Cup."
Blanc, who told the Bordeaux players of his decision on
Sunday morning, is a popular figure among the fans who love the
attacking football mentality he developed at Bordeaux, and enjoys
strong support from his former France teammates.
Domenech will step aside after the World Cup, ending a
troubled six-year reign.
"I'm not the one who decides on this," Domenech said about
Blanc's likely appointment. "He (Blanc) proved he was able to be in
charge at club level. But coaching a national team is a different
job. He will have to be ready immediately because the (Euro 2012)
qualifying campaign starts in September."
France will start its World Cup campaign against Uruguay on
June 11.
As a player, Blanc started out in Montpellier, where he
signed his first professional contract in 1983. He also played for
Naples, Marseille and Barcelona before ending his illustrious
career under Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. He also played for
France 97 times, scoring 16 goals.
Blanc replaced Ricardo as Bordeaux coach at the end of the
2006-07 season and led the club to a second-place finish in the
French league, winning the coach of the year award.
