FRANCE 98 – MatchQuotes

Match Number 6 FRA – RSA Quotes

Aimé JACQUET, coach of the FRANCE team (Group C):

“We are very satisfied to have beaten a very strong African team. Both teams deserve special praise for putting on an excellent show in such dreadful conditions. Such a violent wind can be dangerous for a team who has everything to prove. The FRANCE team responded to the hopes of the Marseille crowd and the French public.

Now the door is wide open.

We have to believe in the FRANCE team, often criticised by certain members of the press.

I’ve prepared very well for this World Cup. Football should be taken on a professional level. You have to constantly remind yourself to be realistic.

Next up, we have a very difficult match against SAUDI ARABIA (Group C), and we should remain very humble.”

Thierry HENRY (12)

“I hope the French will have been satisfied with our performance. Personally, I think I justified the coach’s confidence. It’s never easy for a team to be in form for a first match, but I was able to express myself on the pitch. My first thoughts when I scored were for my family.”

Emmanuel PETIT (17)

“

We were expecting a hard match and we beat them at their own game. We have our own battle-cry in the changing room. Now, we’re going to savour this moment, and tomorrow, we’ll start concentrating on the next match. Everyone has to pull in the same direction. I was pleased with my own game, and felt in top form. It’s hard to play in such conditions, but the atmosphere helped us. It was electric. As in ENGLAND, the public, like the wind, swept us along.”

Lionel CHARBONNIER (22)

“It was good taking part in this match. Those on the bench had the same desire as those on the pitch, but we mustn’t get carried away. This is only the beginning. Aimé JACQUET was very tense, because he knew the players had trained to the maximum. It’s a natural pressure for coaches.”

Bixente LIZARAZU (3)

“Mission accomplished. These three points won are very important. I’m very satisfied. Now, we’ll have the French supporters’ rallying behind the FRANCE team which puts the players in a great state of mind. We’ve had a great evening. The most important thing is to qualify.”

Philippe TROUSSIER, coach of the SOUTH AFRICA team (Group C):

“The FRANCE team is in top form and we owe them a great deal of respect. We are very happy to have given them a decent fight with the arms at our disposal, and with a will to make life difficult for them.

The score was heavy against us, but we weren’t beaten in the game itself.

I think the FRANCE team is very well organised and very realistic. It shows the difference in having a young side such as ours. This being said, the World Cup is not yet over for us.

We played the match with an open mind. Beating FRANCE would have just been a bonus. For us, the real challenges will come against DENMARK and SAUDI ARABIA. There are still six points at stake, and we’ll be aiming to gain as many as possible.

FRANCE will do everything it can to ensure they qualify, and that will help us.

From tomorrow, we’ll be starting to prepare for the match against DENMARK on Thursday.

It’s never easy to play against FRANCE with all its big name players. In this match, the goals scored from set pieces were vital.”