Blanc officially named French coach

France’s World Cup and European Championship winning defender Laurent Blanc was officially named national team coach on Friday, announced outgoing French Football Federation (FFF) president Jean-Pierre Escalettes.

The 44-year-old, who cut his teeth for the job in coaching Bordeaux to the 2009 league title, replaces Raymond Domenech, who stepped down after France’s catastrophic World Cup finals campaign, though, he had already said he would not stay on in the post in any case.

“It is the good news of the morning,” said 75-year-old Escalettes, who fell on his sword in the fallout from the chaotic events surrounding France’s first round exit in South Africa.

“The France team will continue under the leadership of Laurent Blanc, who will have an extremely pugnacious sporting project with the will to ‘win’ and in order to put the French team back on the rails in both a sporting and a moral point of view.

“It is imperative to take account of the mistakes of the past and ensure these do not repeat themselves,” added Escalettes, who was speaking after the opening session of the General Council meeting where he is also formally presenting his resignation.

Blanc, who numbered Manchester United, Marseille and Inter Milan among the clubs he played for, will be assisted by his number two at Bordeaux Jean-Louis Gasset.