Didier Deschamps staying on for France's Ireland clash

STAYING PUT: France's Kylian Mbappe and manager Didier Deschamps. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.

Ireland will face a French team on March 27 still managed by Didier Deschamps in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier, according to local reports.

Saturday’s 2-1 win over England puts the World champions within 180 minutes of becoming the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the Jules Rimet Trophy.

Speculation prior to the tournament linked Zinedine Zidane with succeeding his former France international teammate Deschamps but, having already hit the semi-final target set by his employers, the incumbent is extending his decade-long tenure.

Asked about his future ahead of Wednesday’s last-four clash against underdogs Morocco, Deschamps said: "It's up to me so I'll decide. I'll be here for the semi-final, then we'll see. All in good time. It's good to be reaching objectives set by your President. I want to savour what we've just done."

Deschamps, who also led Les Bleus to the Euro 2016 final and 2021 Uefa Nations League crown, is believed eager to complete his trophy haul with the European title. French newspaper Le Parisien confirmed on Sunday that he’s sticking around.

The 54-year-old has overseen 138 games since replacing Laurent Blanc in 2012 - winning 89, drawing 26 and losing 23.

Bar the odd exception, such as 36-year-old striker Oliver Giroud, the squad is youthful enough to stretch their golden era through many tournaments to come.

However, a disappointing recent Nations League campaign, in which they won just once in six games, demoted the French to second seeds for the Euro 2024 draw.

They were grouped with top seeds Netherlands, Ireland, Greece and Georgia in a pool, from which the top two nations advance to the showpiece in Germany.

France clash with the Dutch on March 24 in Paris for the group opener before they travel to Dublin for Ireland’s first game three days later.

Netherlands will certainly have a new coach on the bench, for Ronald Koeman’s elevation to Louis van Gaal’s heir was preordained before they crashed out to Argentina in Friday’s World Cup quarter-final.