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Blanc turns down chance to stay on as France manager

L’Equipe report that the former Bordeaux boss will seek a new challenge, while Didier Deschamps could replace him.

LAURENT BLANC HAS left his role as manager of the French national football team, according to L’Equipe.

While the French Football Federation were not available for comment, it is known that the former Bordeaux manager was in talks with Noel Le Graet, president of the FFF, all day on Friday.

It is believed that Blanc has turned down the chance to renew his contract, which expires on Saturday.

“Laurent Blanc made his decision and will not be the France coach anymore,” L’Equipe announced on their website (www.lequipe.fr), without giving a source.

Blanc took over the France after their shambolic showing at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 under former manager Raymond Domenech.

He led Les Bleus on a 23-match unbeaten run before they lost to Sweden in the group stages of Euro 2012. France qualified from Group D but lost 2-0 to Spain in the quarter-finals.

Didier Deschamps, who admitted on Friday that his time in charge of Marseille is coming to an end, is the early favourite to take over from Blanc.

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