• Premier League

Blanc coy on Spurs link

ESPN staff
June 24, 2012
Laurent Blanc turned France from World Cup no-hopers into European Championship quarter-finalists © Getty Images
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France coach Laurent Blanc refused to answer questions on his future after Les Bleus were eliminated from Euro 2012 at the quarter-final stage by Spain on Saturday night.

Blanc, 46, is coming to the end of his current contract with the national team and has been heavily tipped to return to club management having been unable to thrash out a new deal with the French Football Federation.

Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan have been linked with a swoop for the former Bordeaux boss, but Blanc was tight-lipped on his future in the wake of France's European Championship exit.

"We have just been kicked out of the tournament, the disappointment is there for all to see among coaching staff and players alike," Blanc said.

"We will have to draw up an assessment of this Euro [Championship], an analysis in the next few days. There shall be positives and negatives, and we will see what happens afterwards."

Despite suffering defeat in the last eight, Blanc has earned widespread acclaim for transforming a France side in disarray after the 2010 World Cup into a competitive international outfit again.

However, speculation about dressing-room in-fighting has resurfaced during the tournament, notably in the aftermath of the group stage defeat to Sweden.

Blanc enjoyed a distinguished playing career, winning the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with Les Bleus before going on to lead Bordeaux to the 2008-09 Ligue 1 title in his first managerial position.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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