Black Stars coach not an actuality now – Desailly

Having failed to secure the job on two previous occasions, Former France defender, Marcel Desailly says the Black Stars coaching job is not an ‘actuality now’.

Marcel Desailly who admitted to being an avid follower of Ghana football disclosed on the maiden edition of Sports Check with GhanaWeb Sport Editor, Daniel Oduro that coaching the Black Stars is not part of his plans in the foreseeable future.

“I’m very pleased to speak with you. I love Ghana and I’m very committed to Ghana. As you can see through what I’m doing, hundreds of families directly or indirectly that involved with my implication and this touch my heart everytime I stay in the office for hours till midnight to be able to maintain the facility here to make them available for the community but the Black Stars job is not an actuality now”, he disclosed.

The two-time UEFA Champions League winner and FIFA World Cup winner has consistently been linked with the Black Stars job whenever it becomes vacant but has failed to impress the GFA to give him the position.

He was one of the people who were heavily tipped to replace Avram Grant with public support from veteran coach JE Sarpong but the FA did not find him suitable for the job thus settled on Kwesi Appiah.

Desailly, who opted to play for France instead of Ghana, made his international debut in 1993 but was not established as a first choice defender until 1996.

He was an important part of the French team which won the 1998 FIFA World Cup, albeit being sent off in the final match. Like other team members, he was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur in 1998.

Two years later success continued, as France won Euro 2000. After the tournament, Desailly was made the captain of the national team, following the retirement of Didier Deschamps. In 2001, he led France to victory in the Confederations Cup.

In April 2003, Desailly surpassed the record for the number of appearances for the French team, a number which eventually reached 116 when he announced his retirement from international football following 2004 UEFA European Football Championship. However, that record was broken during the 2006 FIFA World Cup by Lilian Thuram.

Marcel Desailly currently manages the magnificent Lizzy Sports Complex in East Legon, Accra where they train young, talented footballers.