France manager Didier Deschamps says he has been impressed with the start former team mate Zinedine Zidane has made to life as Real Madrid boss.
The pair were team mates at Juventus and for Les Blues and played in the side that won the World Cup on home soil in 1998 and the European Championships two years later.
Zidane took over the hotseat at the Santiago Bernabeu in January following the sacking of Rafa Benitez. It is his first role as manager of a first team having been in charge of Real Madrid Castilla and served as assistant manager to Carlo Ancelotti previously.
With 44 goals in 14 matches, Los Blancos certainly have goals in them and the side is playing much more confidently that they did under Benitez. Although there is some way to go before any real conclusions can be made about Zidane as a boss, Deschamps believes he has made a good start.
“Zidane’s had a promising start to his coaching career. He has a lot going in his favour to succeed. Zidane knows Real Madrid’s philosophy, its game and its players inside out, and that’s a win in itself,” he commented.
Like many, the former midfielder admitted he never saw Zidane in a managerial role.
“Zidane was talented. He just needed to learn a little bit more about this world. In all honesty, playing together, it didn’t appear to be his preference. Later on coaching seemed to pick his interest, a lot,” he stated.
