Jacquet had plans to flee France

Reuters

Paris, Oct 23: Aime Jacquet, who took France to their first World Cup title last June, has said he would have fled the country if his team had made an early exit from the tournament. The coach admitted to France Info radio yesterday he had lined up several places where he could escape. ``They were not in Europe,'' he added. ``If France had lost in Lens...I believe it would have been better for me to go abroad because i would have faced great problems.''

Laurent Blanc gave France a narrow 1-0 extra time victory over Paraguay in a second round game in the northern town of Lens. France went on to beat Brazil for the world title. Jacquet, who became a national hero overnight, said he had suffered from widespread criticism in the two years leading up to the tournament. The French press, before the competition, attacked Jacquet as defensive and unimaginative but were forced to eat their words.

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