Youth detail for Roux

By Andrew Haslam in Belfast

Former AJ Auxerre coach Guy Roux was an interested observer as France began the UEFA European Under-19 Championship with a 1-1 draw against England at The Oval in Belfast on Monday.

Passion prevails
The 66-year-old stepped down after 44 years as coach of the Ligue 1 outfit having guiding Auxerre to a fourth French Cup at the start of June, but his passion for the game remains undimmed. Having launched the careers of Djibril Cissé, Philippe Mexes, Jean-Alain Boumsong and Olivier Kapo at Auxerre in recent years, Roux's record of producing young talent ranks with the best and he is well placed to offer his assessment of the latest crop of French rising stars.

Intelligent approach
"The game against England was a typical match for this stage of the season," he told uefa.com. "The teams have been back from their holidays for three weeks, so it was necessary to be a bit clever and not expend too much energy. The style of British teams means they are always hard to play against, but we had some good moments, played well as a team and created some good opportunities."

All to play for
Roux's expert eye was also caught by a number of the England players during the Group B encounter, as he acknowledged. "England have a good side, and played well," he went on. "I think the result was a fair one and nothing is resolved; for me, qualification will go right down to the last match. Although I can't stay for the whole tournament, I hope to come back should France reach the semi-finals.

Close observations
"I know the French team quite well, and it's a strong side with plenty of quality," he went on. "There are two Auxerre players [captain Younes Kaboul and Vassiriki Diaby] in the squad, although Diaby was suspended for the first game, so I know all about them. In addition, I am on the committee of the group which governs the national teams, which is a great pleasure for me."

Vital bridge
Having followed the match in Belfast, Roux has no doubts about the value of this competition, emphasising: "This is a great age to have a European Championship. The players are nearly mature, but not quite – it helps to bridge the gap between youth and senior football, which would otherwise be too large. In both the English and French teams, there are a number of players who have already started to appear for their clubs in the top flight."

Lengthy reign
Roux's years at Auxerre, during which time he led the Burgundy club from the regional leagues to the top of the French game, capturing the Ligue 1 title in 1996 and appearing in 16 UEFA Club campaigns in addition to the French Cup triumphs of 1994, 1996, 2003 and this year, have left him sure of the key quality a young player needs. "Without talent, there is nothing," he said.

Important attributes
"The qualities a young player needs depends on their position; a central defender must have different attributes to a striker, for example," he said. "But for everyone, you have to work hard and apply yourself properly and, most importantly, you must have talent. That is the base, although desire, spirit and an appetite for hard work are all crucial as well."