What is happening inside Zidane's squad? New crisis disrupts France's preparations for Turkey clash
Zinedine Zidane, the France manager, faced a new organisational problem during his side's preparations for the match against Turkey, after the start of the training session scheduled in the city of Bordeaux was delayed due to the sports equipment not arriving on time.
This incident comes days after logistical problems accompanied the national team's trip to Italy, which saw its first defeat under the French coach.
The French network "RMC Sport" reported that France's delegation arrived in Bordeaux on Friday to prepare for Turkey, having left Italy after Thursday evening's 3-1 defeat in the previous round of the UEFA Nations League.
The players were due to train at six in the evening at the Matmut Atlantique, the stadium hosting the next match. Instead, a problem transporting equipment from the Clairefontaine centre to Bordeaux pushed the session back.
When the required equipment failed to arrive on time, the technical staff had to rethink their plans and delay the start of training until seven. It's a fresh embarrassment that raises questions about the organisation within the camp, especially given how often these problems have cropped up since Zidane took charge.
France had suffered that first defeat under Zidane against Italy despite leading through a Michael Olise goal, before the hosts fought back to win 3-1.
The result barely seemed to trouble the French coach. He quickly shifted his focus to Turkey, the final stop in the group stage of the UEFA Nations League.
This was not the first crisis to hit the delegation during the current camp. The trip to Italy brought problems over travel arrangements for the players' families, irritating several members of the squad and souring the mood before the match against Italy.
Such headaches have followed Zidane since day one. The September and October camps saw confusion over the players' kit, including boot studs, socks and the flag, small details that threw off the arrangements during the former Real Madrid coach's return to lead France.
The French Football Federation met last Sunday to tighten up the organisation and iron out the flaws from previous camps. Yet the delay getting the equipment to Bordeaux showed some problems persist despite those efforts.
Zidane now hopes to put the mess behind him and concentrate on Turkey on Sunday, with the logistics having become a recurring source of frustration for his staff and players. The group stage is almost over, and France need a settled environment to prepare properly, free from distractions off the pitch.
