Tuesday, 7th February, 2012

Lyon coach and former Arsenal player Remi Garde has stated his belief that Arsene Wenger will be a key contender to succeed Laurent Blanc as France boss.

Blanc has been widely speculated to be ready to leave his post as Les Bleus coach after Euro 2012 and thoughts have turned to just who would succeed the former World Cup-winning defender if that were to happen.

And Garde, who played under Wenger at Arsenal between 1996 and 1999, and who now sits in the dugout at the Stade Gerland, is in no doubt about the fact that his former boss will be well placed to claim the throne.


"It could very well go to him", said Garde to French radio station RMC.

"He’s very familiar with European football, world football and the players because he follows the [French] championship", added the Lyon chief.

"He would, in the case of Laurent Blanc leaving, be an interesting choice for French football.

"He’s one of the football greats."

While there is no suggestion that Wenger is thinking of calling time on his 16-year spell in charge of Arsenal, the Gunners boss is enduring one of the most testing seasons of his managerial career at the Emirates.

Wenger also hinted earlier in the campaign that he knows he has less time ahead as Arsenal manager than behind, although he did later add a caveat that he would only leave at the end of the season if he felt he had not met the standards laid out by the club.

The prospect of taking over as France coach would no doubt be attractive to the former Monaco boss however.

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