From Deschamps to Henry: France 98's managerial class

The captain of that all-conquering French side, Didier Deschamps, has gone from strength to strenght as a manager, and he too started his technical career in Monaco. He took them to the Champions League final in 2004, losing to Jose Mourinho's Porto. From there he moved to Juventus, bringing them back to Serie A before making a move to Marseille. 

He was a star at Marseille during his playing days, and he led them to three League Cups and the league title in 2010, adding to his legend. From there he was offered the job in charge of the French national side, and we all know what happened next. He became one of few to have lifted the World Cup as both a player and a manager. 

Laurent Blanc was Deschamp's predecessor in at 'Les Bleus', given the job after three stunning years at Bordeaux where he won the Ligue 1 title. However, he faced a difficult time at the head of a team in transition following their disastrous campaign at the 2010 World Cup and left the job after Euro 2012. He went on to manage PSG, but lost out on that post after he could deliver European success. He is waiting for another big club to come along. 

The star of 1998, Zinedine Zidane, has taken to management much like he did playing. He has swept away all who come before him. In under three years at Real Madrid, he delivered three Champions Leagues and a league title, before leaving the job claiming he needed a break. He will likely take charge of another big team soon, with Manchester United the most talked about. 

Finally, Patrick Vieira will be vying with Henry for supremacy on the Riviera. He honed his skills managing New York City FC in the MLS, before moving back to France in the summer to take charge of Nice. This will be his chance to prove he can manage in the big leagues, and he and Henry are both hoping this is the start of something big for them.