Zidane as manager: Koné confirms a change of method that's doing the Blues good

Zinédine Zidane began his tenure as France manager with two away victories without conceding a single goal. Midway between the trip to Belgium and the home match against Italy on Friday, Manu Koné spoke at a press conference to offer an initial assessment.

“It’s a pleasure to be coached by Zinédine Zidane, a world legend,” said the midfielder. “He manages us in a human way, very sincere, he’s close to the players, he’s in the feeling, he takes us aside. He puts us all in confidence, we’re each natural.”

The most visible change compared to the Didier Deschamps era concerns the tactical system. Zidane opted for a return to the 4-3-3 with a midfield oriented towards attack. Koné himself now occupies the position of defensive midfielder in this three-man setup, whereas he was playing in a two-man midfield during his last appearances for the national team. “He told me to play freely, he sums up. I’ve already played it at Roma, it’s not something that changes much.”

Beyond Koné’s positioning, several of Zidane’s choices illustrate an assumed philosophy: the selection of Lucas Da Cunha, the return of Eduardo Camavinga and the lower repositioning of Rayan Cherki outline the contours of a coherent project. “We didn’t have much time to work but we managed to implement everything he wants,” Koné continues. “He’s very proud, he told us we were very good players in his eyes, that we had the capacity to adapt easily to his demands.”

While results remain the only measure that counts in the long run, the Blues’ first two outings under Zidane currently offer an encouraging response to those questioning the new manager’s ability to impose his ideas quickly.