What sort of coach is Zidane? Or what sort of coach will he be? What are his methods? When and why did he decide to move into coaching? Is he up to the job at hand?
These are the questions that Canal Plus France tried to answer in an in-depth report into Zidane titled ‘Nouvelle Vie’ which looked into the process that the former player underwent from the moment in which he hung up his boots until he was named as Ancelotti’s number two.
The documentary, which was filmed during the year that Zidane spent working under the Italian (2013/14), includes testimony from the coach – on his doubts and concerns – as well as the people who have been there with him all this time, from his family, to his teammates, coaches and even his teachers and classmates.
The documentary filmed Zidane sitting in his office, preparing a report on an opponent. “Football isn’t that complicated. It’s about passing. The higher up the pitch you play, the more dangerous you become. I’m on the players’ side. I listen to them”, said the Frenchman.
“I want my team to play, spread the ball about whenever they have it, play it forward from the back and make the best possible decision before they even receive it. When they don’t have the ball, I want them to track back, keep it tight in defence, pressure the opposition high up the pitch and never let them get in behind. I want them to try and win back the ball as high up the pitch as possible because that will see them avoid having to run an extra 80 metres. All of that gives the team balance. Some people will see things differently, but it’s as simple as that to me”, he explained.
Bron: Marca
