The red carpet seemed already rolled out for the coach, with a "Comex" of the Federation then a winter assembly coming at the right time to ratify the continuation of the adventure, less than three weeks after the World Cup final lost against Argentina on penalties (3-3 ap, 4-2 pens).

Deschamps' last contract extension, recorded in December 2019 after qualifying for the Euro, was a formality, quickly concluded during the traditional meeting with the president of the Federation, Noël Le Graët, in Guingamp.

"Fair and deserved", it "also involves responsibilities", in the first place to maintain "very high level results", Le Graët then declared before the Federal Assembly.

Since then, the France team has known the doubts of a Euro ended prematurely in the summer of 2021, a title in the League of Nations the following fall then a second World Cup final in a row, on December 18. in Doha, despite the many absences that weakened the squad.

Objective 2024 or 2026

As usual, Le Graët received the coach in his Breton stronghold on December 29, two days before the expiry of Deschamps' contract, to mark the continuation of their collaboration, which began in July 2012.

If nothing or almost nothing has filtered from this meeting, it was for once not conclusive.

"We should be able to manage. But full stop. It's not done," simply agreed to declare the boss of the FFF to the newspaper Le Parisien.

The main sticking point concerns the duration of the future contract: until Euro-2024 in Germany, as suggested by Le Graët, or until the 2026 World Cup in North America, according to Deschamps' wish?

The current mandate of the Breton leader (81 years old) runs until 2024 and he would be reluctant to extend the coach beyond.

The successor to "NLG" at the head of the Federation would indeed be "hands and feet bound" by such a commitment, explains a high-ranking source at the FFF.

Deschamps absent on Saturday?

According to the sports daily L'Equipe, a meeting between Le Graët and Jean-Pierre Bernès, Deschamps' agent, is scheduled for Friday in the hope of "advancing the file significantly".

Didier Deschamps and the president of the French football federation (FFF) Noël Le Graët in discussion before the Qatar World Cup match between France and Morocco in the Al-Bayt stadium in Al Khor north of Doha on 14 December 2022 © FRANCK FIFE / AFP/Archives

The executive committee of the Federation must meet Friday from 4:00 p.m.

The future of the France team is in everyone's mind, but the session should focus more on the new Technical Arbitration Department (DTA) with the appointment of the successor to Pascal Garibian, ousted due to the hostility that dedicated a majority of professional clubs to him.

In the corridors of the FFF, the most solid hypothesis is that seeing Antony Gautier take control of the DTA while Stéphane Lannoy, choice N.1 of the elite clubs, would be in charge of the professional sector.

The idea, in any case, would be to present the new face or faces of arbitration at the federal assembly, scheduled for Saturday from 9 a.m. in a Parisian hotel in the 17th arrondissement.

This half-yearly meeting brings together, among others, representatives of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 clubs, presidents of leagues and districts, members of the "Comex" and the Amateur Football League (LFA).

The FFF's activity and financial report for the 2021-2022 season will be presented there, as well as the revision of certain federal texts: disciplinary scale, regulations of national championships...

The agenda provides for an "intervention of the breeders", as is customary.

The presence of Corinne Deacon for Les Bleues and Sylvain Ripoll for Les Espoirs is expected, that of Deschamps remains uncertain.

"He is no longer the coach since December 31", we breathe in his entourage.

© 2023 AFP