Two weeks at Clairefontaine
Jean Butez got into the France squad because Robin Risser pulled out injured, and he spent two full weeks with the group last time. On Wednesday he told Ouest-France what he took from it. The Como goalkeeper, 31, said the length of the camp made it easy to settle among “very big players” and a complete staff.
He said Zinedine Zidane’s keyword was adaptation. “I found coach Zidane very close to us,” Butez said, adding that the manager made a point of talking to each player individually and passing on his confidence.
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Barthez and the high line
Day to day, the goalkeepers belong to Fabien Barthez. Butez said the 1998 World Cup winner has not softened his style: he is direct, sometimes hard, and puts real weight on how matches are prepared. Just as important to Barthez is that the keepers get along and pull the same way.
The playing demands are clear too. Butez said Barthez was a modern, ball-playing goalkeeper in his day, and Zidane wants his keeper to play high. Mike Maignan, the number one, and Guillaume Restes both put that into practice in their games, according to Butez.
What comes next
Butez speaks on the day Como face Lens in the Champions League. His next possible reward comes soon: Zidane names his squad on 6 November for the Nations League games against Italy on 12 November and Turkey on 15 November. France want to secure first place in the group and keep their unbeaten run under the new staff.
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