A message between the lines from Zidane to Bale and James
Vanity Fair published exclusive excerpts straight from the new book by Fred Hermel, French journalist and AS correspondent, about Zidane.
Zinedine Zidane is the protagonist of the recent book by journalist and AS correspondent, Frédéric Hermel. It's called 'Zidane' and delves into his life, work and the miracles he has pulled off as the manager of Real Madrid. Vanity Fair published an exclusive excerpt from the book in their April edition.
The magazine focused on the relationship with his wife, Véronica, who he has known since 1989 when thet met in Cannes. Zidane was at the club's academy AS Cannes and she attended dance classes there. He speaks about his kids (enzo, Luca, Thos and Elyaz) and wanting to raise them properly: "They don't have a life like the rest. I am afraid they'll turn into little idiots. I don't want abundance, everything I represent and everything that happens around me, to lead them astray. I want them to be good people," he explained to Hermel in 2005.
In the magazine, they also focused on the manager's personality and how he manages the dressing room. It is entitled 'an explosive personality' and the magazine takes some quotes from the books. "I have 17 or 18 years worth of experience in the dressing room and I know how it is," Zidane said in the book. "I am not the kind of guy who is going to boast in front of the players. I just want them to understand what they have to do."
The Zidane method discussed in the book
Hermel explains that rows and punishments will not be dished out in public but in the strictest of privacy and he talks about the crisis in January 2018 when they had a few results. "I'm not going to change my style just because they have three or four bad results or because we have been in three or four tough situations. It's how I am and I will defend my players tooth and nail. I believe in my players to the end. I won't throw shit at one or two footballers when things aren't going well or say 'that's the reason'. We are all in the same boat."
Hermel is quite clear: "It's a loyal attitude that help to keep the resecpt and admiration of the Real Madrid squad. Except maybe some examples like James and Bale. Two detractors of the Zidane method, and two victims of his lack of tolerance. Zidane has no pity for those who aren't motivated, foe all the talent they have, for how much they cost the club, for how big their names are in world football. Those who don't put it in during training don't earn the right to play in games."