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As you have no doubt come to expect from the staff of Cartilage Free Captain we will spend the next few days analyzing the prospects of many of the managers linked with, or those that we think should be linked with, the vacant Tottenham Hotpsur manager's position. Today we look at the dark horse continental.
Didier Deschamps, Unemployed Manager
Career Record: 192-97-79 (82-41-41 at Marseille), 5 Champions League Qualification (2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011), 1 Europa Qualification (2012), 1 Serie B Championship (2007), 1 Ligue 1 Championship (2010)
Accomplishments: Wherever Deschamps has gone, he has turned clubs to gold. Starting out his career in Monaco in 2001, Deschamps underwent a tough freshman campaign, finishing 16th with the provincial club. Monaco had undergone a golden age in the 80's and 90's under Arsene Wenger, producing players like Henry and Thuram. However, in the 2002-2003 season at Monaco, Deschamps found success, finishing runners up in Ligue 1 and securing Champions League qualification. However, it was soon to be all for naught, as a debt bill of 50 million Euros forced the FPL to banish Monaco to Ligue 2. However, on appeal Monaco was allowed to stay up in Ligue 1, but were banned from purchasing players for the upcoming years. This made Monaco into rank outsiders in the Champions League.
Selling Rafa Marquez before the season, Deschamps brought in 3 key loans for the Champions League campaign. From Porto be brought in Boca Juniors legend Hugo Ibarra, from PSG he brought in Edouard Cisse, and from Real Madrid he brought in Spanish international Fernando Morientes. After winning their group, including a 8-3 demolition of Deportivo Coruna, Marseille went through favorites like Real Madrid and Chelsea to face Porto and Jose Mourinho in the final. Though losing, Deschamps engineered one of the most improbable runs by a team in Champions League history. Leaving Monaco in 2005, he took a year off before taking control of Juventus after their Serie A relegation, convincing much of the team to stay and leading Juventus out of Serie B when players could easily have gotten disillusioned. Leaving after securing promotion due to pressure from the Juventus board, he then took two years off before taking over OM, where he made his name as a player. Since May 2009 he's lead OM to a league title as well as multiple Champions League appearances.
Before He Was A Football Manager: Didier Deschamps had a storied career as a defensive midfielder, finding glory with OM, Juventus, and France. He won two French titles with OM in 1991 and 1992. In 1993 he became the youngest captain to ever win the Champions League with OM, as well as the only French team to ever lift the trophy.In 1994 he joined Juventus, winning a Serie A title and a second Champions League title. He spent a year at Chelsea where he won an FA Cup, before going Valencia and helping take them to the 2001 Champions League final. He retired from club football at the age of 32.
Internationally, things were not as rosy. Deschamps came up during a dark age for French Football, as France missed the 1990 and 1994 World Cup. During that time the team was led by the core of Eric Cantona, Jean-Pierre Papin, David Ginola, and Didier Deschamps. However, Cantona had a contentious relationship with the French coaches for years, and the French dressing room was a mess. Finally, after Cantona attacked a fan in a 1995 match with his club team, he was banned from the team. His replacement was Zinedine Zidane, and he along with Papin and Ginola were replaced. Deschamps, however, stayed with the team throughout this and didn't fall in with Cantona's antics, who called Deschamps a water carrier. Deschamps won the arm band, and led France to World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000 glory. He retired from international football after Euro 2000 with the most caps in French history (though surpassed since then).
What Are His Tactics Like: Deschamps is flexible with his tactics, he loves a 4-3-3 with two wingers for width and two center midfielders with an anchor man, but he he experimented this year by playing a 4-4-2, which was quickly replaced by a 4-2-3-1. Deschamps is a bit of a tactical chameleon, he hasn't committed to any formation in favor of another, usually using the players available at the club in a way that maximizes their ability. However, his greatest successes, including the 2004 Champions League final appearance, came from a 4-3-3 formation.
How is He As A Talent Evaluator: He is a pretty good talent evaluator, discovering Rafa Marquez, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Patrice Evra. I've already gone over his amazing job above under a transfer bad, bring in loan players from various powers around Europe to lead Monaco to the Champions League final. At Juventus, Deschamps didn't really evaluate talent as convince it to stay, keeping Alessandro Del Piero, Gianluigi Buffon, Pavel Nedved, David Trezeguet, and Mauro Camoranesi from leaving. In 2009 at Marseille Deschamps did an amazing job, bringing in seven players who would play a key part in Marseille's league title, including Lucho Gonzalez and Gabriel Heinze. 2010 was quiet, though Deschamps brought in Spanish youngster Cesar Azpilicueta, a future Spanish international for 7 million Euros, as well as Loic Remy. The past season Deschamps was quiet however, as OM cut down on his ability to maneuver due to financial difficulties, which created strife.
Would He Get Along With Daniel Levy: I honestly have no idea. He has left every club he has gone to over disagreements with board members. This was understandable at Juventus because the Juventus board is insane, but Monaco and Marseille he has run into issues with his presidents, though this seems to be due to the clubs turning into selling clubs. He was unhappy at Monaco over the drain of talent from his team that needed to pay back the debts that almost cost the team a spot in Ligue 1, and at Marseille he has been hesitant to re-up his contract with Remy probably out the door. In that case, he and Levy would get along fantastically, as they both absolutely hate to give away players.
Would He Come To Tottenham: Right now, it's either Tottenham, Al-Hilal, or re-up with Marseille. So I would say, yes.