Umtiti: Deschamps a benchmark for top-tier manager; Pogba can return to his peak

Recently, former France international Samuel Umtiti stated in an interview that Didier Deschamps sets the benchmark for all top-tier managers, while also praising Paul Pogba's formidable mental fortitude, asserting that the midfielder possesses the capacity to return to his peak form.

Talk about life after retirement

Everything is going smoothly. I have many plans, one of which I'm particularly dedicated to, and I'm currently attending a coaching training course. I'm eager to share my experiences. Having had the privilege of learning from many excellent coaches, I now hope to pass on what I've learned to young people first with the accumulation of my career. Then, step by step, in the next few years, I hope to coach a professional team. Meanwhile, I'm still keeping up with exercise. My body needs this state, and I simply can't stay idle. Over the years, I've always maintained high-intensity training. If I don't move for four or five days, I'll feel uncomfortable all over. My schedule is now very full, and I'm busy every week, unable to stop. Exercise is too important to me. Like everyone else, I've recently become obsessed with paddle tennis (laughs). Someone mentioned it to me when I was in Spain before, but I never got around to trying it. Now I'm completely hooked and really love this sport.

What is your coaching style?

I am extremely demanding and very strict when it comes to details. But not everyone is like me, so I have to find a balance and build a coaching staff that can complement each other. If everyone on the team were as strict as I am, the players would surely find it unbearable (laughs). The key is to make the players feel comfortable and at ease when interacting with me and the entire coaching staff. 

Role Models and Influences on the Coaching Journey

Deschamps is the benchmark for top-level coaches. His decision-making ability, team-building skills, and personalized management of players are all worthy of my learning. He can maintain a close relationship with players while remaining unyielding on matters of principle, and has achieved remarkable results. In the football world, a coach's value is ultimately defined by results, and I will draw on his experience of winning in major competitions. I have encountered many excellent coaches in my career and intend to learn from all of them: for example, Genésio, under whom I served from the youth training period to the professional team. He once told me, "If you want to be a coach, you must develop the habit of taking notes." Because he didn't do so himself back then, many details have been forgotten over time. Taking notes on the training content I like or dislike and reflecting on areas that could have been improved at the time, these notes now greatly assist my coach training.

Enrique is the coach I met after joining Barcelona, and he means a great deal to me. His football philosophy has deeply touched me, especially at the tactical level. His pursuit of perfection in details has exposed me to a brand-new understanding of football. He can make the entire team strive in the same direction, with everyone on the field highly unified in thought, which is also the key to Paris Saint-Germain winning the Champions League title.

Regarding Pavard's return to Ligue 1 to join Marseille

I'm not surprised. In football, players sometimes want to change their environment. He has performed well in non-China leagues, and sometimes returning to his home country to play football is also a good choice. The atmosphere of Marseille is well-known, with passionate fans, iconic stadiums... Many players aspire to come here. I think he needed such a change at that time. It's normal for a career to have ups and downs, and it's common for form to fluctuate during a season. He has experience in major competitions, which can greatly help Marseille, and he has good character. I believe this is the best time for him to return to Ligue 1 and join Marseille. 

Regarding Paul Pogba's return to Ligue 1 to join Monaco

Returning to the field after a long-term absence is extremely challenging both mentally and physically. Before wishing him to return to the French team, I hope he can regain his game feel first. I've had a similar experience, and it was really tough: just when you finally feel your form improving, you might encounter new problems and have to train alone in silence. But I believe his mental strength is strong enough to return to his peak. I hope he can perform excellently, as we all have high expectations for him, and he has brought us countless surprises. Before returning to the French team, he needs to rediscover the joy of playing football and maintain the consistency of consecutive appearances. 

Is it possible for Benzema to return to Ligue 1 and retire at Lyon? 

Although it is unlikely, a player like Benzema is someone any team would want to have, especially in Ligue 1. I particularly hope he can return to Lyon, where his glory was once witnessed. However, such a return is quite special. When you return to a place where you once achieved great success, the outside expectations will be extremely high, so it's hard to say whether this is a good choice. For example, when Lacazette returned, many people were skeptical, but he proved himself with his strength and has been standing firm for the team over the past two seasons, even when the club was going through a tough time. I can understand Benzema's feelings of wanting to go far away back then, because staying in Lyon would require bearing great pressure and energy consumption. 

Karim Benzema has already left a significant mark on French football, and his return would be a good thing for Ligue 1. For him, taking on new challenges in European competitions might be more suitable—top players like him always need to set new goals for themselves.