France boss Deschamps ‘launched furious dressing room rant at Kounde for wearing gold chain’ and risking England ban
DIDIER DESCHAMPS launched a furious rant at Jules Kounde for wearing a gold chain against Poland, according to reports.
The France defender began the round of 16 clash with jewellery on, before it was spotted by officials.
He was forced to remove it in the 42nd minute, but fortunately escaped without a yellow card.
Had Kounde been booked it would have been his second yellow card of the tournament – thus ruling him out of Saturday’s quarter-final against England.
French paper L’Equipe claim that Deschamps launched a furious dressing room rant at Kounde after the game.
The atmosphere in the French camp is said to be good, although this issue did upset the manager.
Deschamps, 54, was scathing of Kounde in his post-match press conference, telling reporters: “He has no right. I don’t know what he has on his chain, I know that Jules has a bit of a superstition, he has it in training.
“I don’t know the meaning. I even told him – ‘You’re lucky you’re not in front of me, or else…’.
“The referee had told us that as soon as there was a stoppage in play… players are not allowed to wear a bracelet or a necklace. They’re not going to start wearing watches or sunglasses either.
“It’s not allowed. I thought he was taking it off but apparently that wasn’t the case.”
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Kounde, 24, did not start Les Bleus’ opening match of the tournament, featuring for just one minute from the bench.
But with Deschamps unhappy with Benjamin Pavard’s performance, Kounde was brought in for the next match against Denmark.
When the France boss opted to make nine changes against Tunisia, Axel Disasi was brought in at right-back instead of Pavard.
While Kounde returned for the subsequent game against Poland.
Pavard’s omission has been a bone of contention – with the Bayern Munich man seeing himself as a senior figure and upset to not be playing.