Football
Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondent 6y

Ex-France boss Laurent Blanc not interested in United States job

Former France coach Laurent Blanc has said he has turned down the chance to succeed Bruce Arena as United States boss.

Blanc, 52, has been out of work since he was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain at huge cost -- around €22 million -- in 2016 after failing to lead the Ligue 1 club past Manchester City in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Blanc's agent recently said he had been approached about taking charge of United States and Australia, but the coach said he was not interested.

"I was approached to coach internationally but it was a no. Especially when it is not your own country," he told Le Parisien, which said he was speaking about the United States vacancy. 

"International coaching must touch your national [roots]. Because of this, I turned it down."

U.S. Soccer, which will likely wait to hire a coach until the federation's presidential election in February, said in a statement on Monday that formal talks over the position have yet to take place.

"We have not had formal discussions with any potential candidates at this point in our coaching search," the statement said.

Blanc said he hopes to be back in work soon ahead of next season, even if he has been enjoying his sabbatical.

"[The break] is doing me twice as good," he said. "I am not going to show disdain towards it. I have refused offers, from foreign clubs. However, nobody in France contacted me."

Asked if he had a preference for clubs in Italy, England and Spain, he said: "Yes. Germany is a beautiful league but I do not speak the language.

"Coaching is something difficult when you cannot communicate that clearly. After that, I admit that I am demanding but that will serve me well when a big club is interested in me. Otherwise, I will recognise the obvious and move on to other things."

Asked if he still watches his former club PSG, Blanc said he prefers to watch them in the Champions League rather than in Ligue 1 and he is confident that they can overcome Real Madrid in their upcoming round-of-16 clash.

"This time, it is clear for everybody," Blanc said. "PSG has the potential to win -- win well, I might add, because this team is already at the top level.

"Of course PSG can knock Real out! Obviously, it will be complicated. However, there is only one condition -- everybody needs to be present.

"PSG will not be able to afford to play this game under strength -- that is the absolute minimum."

PSG host Caen in Ligue 1 on Wednesday before their winter break and they are then back in action in early January, away at Rennes in the Coupe de France.

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