Aime Jacquet

Biography

Player of having

Player amateur in the small club of the US Couzan, Aimé Jacquet earns his living while working with the factory. Located by Saint-Etienne, it joined the Verts in 1959 and signs its first professional contract in 1961. Within the largest French club of the time, it forges an impressive prize list by gaining 5 championships of France and 3 Cuts of France. He knows also the joys of the Équipe of France. But with only two selections, at one period when the Blue ones do not shine, the international career of this defensive medium of having is far from marking the spirits. In 1973, Jacquet leaves to finish its career of player at the large Lyons rival.

“Provisional” selector

Reconverted as a trainer, it directs the Olympique Lyonese then the large team of the Girondins of Bordeaux throughout the Eighties. It gains in particular with of Gironde the 3 championships of France, 2 cuts of France, and reached into 1985 the semi-finals of the cut of the champions. Dismissed by the president Claude Bez in 1989, it then leaves to involve more modest formations such as Montpellier or the ACE Nancy-Lorraine.

In 1991, it joined the National Technical Management of French football. In 1992, he becomes thus the assistant of the selector Gerard Houllier. Following the fiasco of the eliminating heats of the Football world cup 1994 (double defeat against Israel and the Bulgaria) with the autumn 1993, Aimé Jacquet is named selector of the Team of France, but only on a purely provisional basis according to the terms of the time. A first promising series of friendly matches (in particular a victory against the Italy with Naples in February 1994) enables him to sit its legitimacy and to work on the long run. It makes a success of its primary goal by qualifying the Team of France for the Championnat of Europe of football 1996. During this hard phase of qualification, marked by an astonishing series of 0-0, it draws aside some prestigious players gradually (Jean-Pierre Papin, Eric Cantona, David Ginola) and starts to work the team with her image while being pressed on some key players such as Didier Deschamps (to which it entrusts the capitanat little before the Euro 1996), and Laurent Blanc which will be its two principal relays within the group. Even if its choices with start Euro 1996 caused some squeakings of teeth and sometimes that the quality of the play practiced by the Bleus leaves something to be desired, the correct assessment of the Team of France in England (elimination in semi-final) makes it possible Jacquet to preserve a certain media and popular support.

Doubt with the victory

It is in the months which follow the Euro that the things spoil for Jacquet. The matches of preparation for the World cup are connected and the Team of France pains to offer a tempting face. Follower of a very defensive tactical diagram (even “sensitive to the cold” according to its detractors), not managing to create a true offensive animation, Jacquet aggravates and anxious. The specialized press (in particular the daily newspaper the Team) as well as the press general practitioner start to criticize the national sport selector with virulence. Jacquet is seen thus qualified hard of the round ball , out of kills the love of the central round , of rough tactician, sometimes paleolithic .

With the Tournament of France organized in June 1997, of the four national selections guests (the Brésil, Italy and the England were also present), France is that which practices the play less succeeded. In the spans of the stages, Jacquet resignation! starts to resound.

The media distrust towards Jacquet reaches its culminating point in May 1998 when, instead of a list of 22 players intended to play the World cup, Jacquet delivers a preselection of 28 players (method which will be imitated by a vast majority of the qualified national selections). For the daily newspaper the Team, it is the sign which Jacquet is not the right man for the job but just a good sort which emits sighs .

However, the course of the World cup will give reason to the national sport selector. Admittedly, Blue “the Jacquet version” are far from being more blazing of the history of French football. But it is about a frightening perfectly oiled mechanics that neither the wounds nor expulsions and suspensions manage to stop. July 12th, 1998, Aimé Jacquet reaches the dedication when France finally beats the Brésil 3-0 of the World cup.

At the evening of the victory, Jacquet announces that it leaves its station of national sport selector. It takes then the head of DTN, station which it leaves on December 31st, 2006. It is today officially with the retirement.

It will agree to again take place on the bench of key only at the time of the matches of benevolence of association France 98.

Others

Since 1998, it is consulting on Canal+ where it comments on the matches of Champions League

Career of player

Teams

: 1961 to 1973
: 1973 to 1976

Prize list

(5) Champion of France in 1964,1967,1968,1969,1970
(3) Victorious of the Coupe de France in 1962,1968,1970
International with 2 recoveries in 1968

Career of trainer

Teams

: 1976 with 1980
: 1980 with 1989
: 1989 - 1990
: 1990 - 1991
France: 1993 with 1998

Prize list

In club (Of Gironde of Bordeaux)

Cut of the Alps in 1980
Victorious Champion of France in 1984,1985,1987
of the Coupe de France in 1986 and 1987 Victorious
of the Trophy of the Champions in 1987
Semi-finalist of the C1 in 1985
Semi-finalist of the C2 in 1987

In national selection has

World champion in 1998
Cut Kirin in 1994
Tournament Hassan II in 1998
Semi-finalist of the Euro 1996

Distinctions

Officer of the Legion of Honor in 2007

Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1998

French Trainer of the year France Football in 1981,1984 and 1998