Ghana's Next Coach: Desailly?

Desailly to help Ghana After Retirement

Paris, Jan. 7, AFP - France captain Marcel Desailly will hang up his boots when his contract with English Premiership club Chelsea expires in 2005.

Desailly denied suggestions linking him with a return to Marseille, where he won the European Cup in 1993.

"Whatever happens my career will end when this contract runs out," the 35-year-old central defender told Le Monde newspaper on Tuesday.

And he planned to find another job immediately.

"Television and radio attracts me a lot. I've also got some projects in my country of birth, Ghana. I'd like to help out the national team, not as coach but as general manager."

Desailly, who joined Chelsea in 1998 from AC Milan, planned to stand up to clubs such as the English Premiership sides who refuse to release African players for international fixtures.

But first he hoped to help Chelsea overtake Arsenal and Manchester United for the title.

"I think we're playing fairly well but we're still not up to their level of team work," he said.

Desailly last year overtook Didier Deschamps as France's most capped player and has now played 110 times for his country but he says the younger players should get more involved in team tactics as France prepare their defence of the European title at Euro 2004.

"It is not a criticism but I'd like Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires to be more involved in tactical discussions," he said.

"They're the ones at the wheel of the boat, not (Zinedine) Zidane, (Lilian) Thuram, (Bixente) Lizarazu or Desailly."