Patrice Evra, the unloved of French football, would like to become a coach. The former captain of the Blues, leader of the Knysna bus slingers at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, has started training to follow this path. An idea less preposterous than it seems for our editorial writer Virginie Phulpin.
Patrice Evra wants to become a football coach. The former captain of the Blues has started his training. For you, this is a far less bad idea than it initially seemed.
Nothing is going well, decidedly, in this year 2020. Patrice Evra coach, I admit that I had not thought of it at the base. Because the first images that come to mind when we talk about the former captain of the Blues, the choice is: one of the leaders of the slingshot of players who do not want to get off the bus in Africa South, the one who tirelessly looked for the mole in the locker room, or the OM player fired after a kick to a supporter, for an end of career in fishtail. Not exactly the idea that we have of a coach who will transmit his experience, his knowledge and his wisdom to his future players.
So we laugh, we tell ourselves that if this is the example we want to set for young people, it is because we probably got the wrong path at one point. But isn't it a little easy, as a critic, frankly? Yes, Patrice Evra made mistakes, obviously. But we can not reduce his career or his character to this 2010 strike.
We are not tenured for eight years at Manchester United by chance, we are not recognized as a locker room leader by all the players he rubbed shoulders with no reason. So yes, for me, once we have evacuated the caricatured image of Patrice Evra strong head and bottom of the forehead, we can say that he may have something to contribute as a coach, why not.
Can Patrice Evra be a good coach?
Nobody knows that. Not even him. He is just starting his training. And besides, he says with a lot of humility that he dreams of training, at any level, because he knows he has to learn everything. It surprises, humility, in Patrice Evra. Perhaps simply because we never wanted to see its many facets.
The former captain of the Blues was nevertheless under the orders of Sir Alex Ferguson in Manchester, and I am convinced that he must have learned something from it. It's hard to have a better example in front of you. Question character, Sir Alex arises there too. So we have a Patrice Evra who has been at a good school, who passionately loves football, who is a real charismatic leader who knows how to be heard (even this strike in 2010 is proof of this) and who knows what could be better at the top level and pressure.
So why not ? It exists, players with a sulfurous reputation who have become respected coaches. Raymond Domenech is one, Patrice Evra can join him. They do not necessarily have the greatest shame of French football in common.