Ex-France manager Domenech keen on coaching China

World
Europe

Raymond Domenech, who managed France between 2004 and 2010, has expressed an interest in coaching China's football team, Tencent Sports reported on Saturday.

Back in 2006, Domenech's France lost to Italy led by Marcello Lippi in the FIFA World Cup final after a penalty shoot-out.

Now that Lippi is expected to quit as China's manager after the 2019 Asian Cup, Domenech said he's willing to take over and considers the job a real challenge. Meanwhile, he emphasized that good preparation is very important.

Domenech thinks that it will take 20 years for the Chinese men's national soccer team to rise as a world-class team and he is willing to take the job. /VCG Photo

Domenech also gave his answer to how long it will take China to rise as a world-class team in soccer: 20 years. He pointed out that China needs a working youth development system, good managers and star players to realize that goal. In order to raise star players, the country must send promising young men overseas to improve themselves in top soccer leagues.

The 66-year-old coach said that today's Chinese clubs are putting the cart before the horse by spending big money on foreign players. He did not think that such a move will boost the country's soccer development and cited the U.S. as a negative example. Domenech suggested that China focus on 10-15-year-olds who in 5 to 10 years will have the chance to become the country's own star players.

Domenech believes that teenagers are the key to a country's soccer development. /VCG Photo

Domenech hoped that Chinese managers can go to France to see how youth development of soccer is being done. Instead of visiting super clubs like Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), they should take a better look at how small, grass-roots clubs raise their players because that is the foundation of a country's soccer development.

The former France manager also recalled that in 2010, his team played a friendly match with China and lost 1-0. Domenech said that China back then had a lot of talented players who were brave and smart in the game and caused a lot of trouble for France.