Discussing international Marc Guéhi, the manager said major tournaments are bound to arrive for a focused, talented defender like him.
“I had a brief conversation with Marc,” he said. “Of course for players like him who want to be there at the top and represent their country, to not be part of the 26 players is a disappointment, yes. I can say that. But this is his objective and he still has time to play in the next World Cup or Euros.
“He’s an ambitious player who wants the best for himself and wants to represent his country. He’s been working well, really hard. When you look at his performances for us in the year and a half I’ve been here it’s been really consistent and good. He just has to keep working like that and he will get a time to play in a World Cup and get a chance to represent his country.
“Marc will wish England the very best, no doubt about that. He knows what he has to do to have a chance to go to the international level. Working with him and knowing him really well, I have no doubts he’ll represent his country in the near future… It’s just a question of time before he’ll be an England player [at a major tournament].”
Then asked to give his predictions for the tournament, the World Cup-winning Frenchman only gave England an outside chance.
With a smile, he said: “I don’t think England are part of the favourites but as an outsider they can surprise teams. Let’s wait and see.
“I will say the team to beat will be France because of the attacking threat they have up front. Brazil, Argentina, the Germans, are always present in big competitions. Those four nations are for me the favourites.”
