With the international break, each country’s media enjoy more time talking to their national team players, whether they are with the first-team or the younger sides.
Finally back after a horrific injury suffered with the France U21 side last season, Jordan Amavi was immediately called back up to join them by Pierre Mankowski, their manager.
The left-back, contracted to Aston Villa, gave an interview to France Football on Wednesday, and with Roberto Di Matteo freshly sacked from the club, questions about the Italian manager were destined to appear.
With the club’s poor performances (currently 19th in the Championship), the player admitted the international break was a welcome one.
He said: “It’s true that our start to the season has been complicated, but this allows us to have a break, to breathe, for everyone to start anew. Plus, seeing all my friends and teammates with the France U21s is great. We have a laugh.”
As for Di Matteo’s departure, the 22-year-old admitted it was a bit out of the blue.
He said: “I didn’t see it coming. However, we know how it is when a team doesn’t produce results, the manager is targeted. Personally, I think he’s a very good manager. When I was still on holiday, he called me to let me know he had faith in me, that he wanted me in the team.
“It’s a shame, that’s how it happens. The club doesn’t have the time, the board want results in order to climb back up the table.”
Dismissed after only 124 days in charge of the Villains, the Italian also felt his time in charge was cut far too short in a statement released by the League Managers Association.
Now to see who will replace him…
