Zidane: I’d have loved Real challenge but it wasn’t my time

Zinedine Zidane says he would have accepted the chance to replace Carlo Ancelotti as Real Madrid coach had he been offered the job.

Zidane, who was one of Ancelotti’s assistants as well as coaching Real Madrid’s reserve side Castilla last season, was among the candidates touted for the top job when reports emerged towards the end of last season that the Spanish giants would be making yet another managerial change.

In the end it was Rafael Benitez who took over from the sacked Ancelotti, but Zidane has revealed he would have made the step up himself given the chance.

He said in an interview with France Football, to be published today: “Yes, I would have accepted being Ancelotti’s successor. I’m a professional and I’m never going to turn down a challenge.”

The former France playmaker, who won the World Cup and European Championship with his country as well as the Champions League and Primera Division titles with Real, insists he is not downhearted to have been overlooked for the job by club president Florentino Perez, though.

He added: “No, not at all. I’m not disappointed. I believe it wasn’t the time.

“Things happen naturally, you don’t have to go looking for them. He (Perez) took the decision to choose another coach and that’s that.”

Zidane, who turned 43 yesterday, has never been in charge of a senior team before and he is well aware that being the top man is very different than being an assistant. “There’s no comparison between the head coach and assistant. The head coach is the one responsible. Everything passes through you, you take all the decisions,” he said.

“Of course you have the rest of the coaching staff, but you are the only one who decides things. To be a coach means to be alone. When you’re the assistant coach, you can give advice and offer a different point of view, but you can’t compare. The responsibility is always the head coach’s.”

Meanwhile Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas has revealed he will not have to go under the knife to repair his Achilles tendon injury.

The Costa Rica international aggravated a recurring problem that has been troubling him in the recent friendly against Spain, with subsequent tests revealing a partial rupture of the Achilles tendon in his left foot. His national team coach, Paulo Wanchope, said Navas might have to have an operation to fix the issue, but the 28-year-old custodian has now been told that will not need to be the case.

He tweeted after returning to Madrid for further tests: “Happy, thank God, the club doctors have assessed me in Madrid and have discarded an operation on the heel injury.”

Navas joined Real last summer from Levante on a six-year deal but started just six Primera Division games for the Spanish giants and is a reported target for Atletico Madrid.

Real have been heavily linked with Manchester United number one David de Gea as they seek a long-term replacement for Iker Casillas.