22.02.2013, 02:42
Defence specialist Didier Dinart starts new career

36-year-old line player to become defence coach for French national team

Defence specialist Didier Dinart starts new career

Just two weeks after having announced officially his retirement from international handball, French line player Didier Dinart has been made the defence coach for the French national team. He will start in his new position on 1 July 2013.

Being arguably one of the best defenders in handball, this career choice was a logical one for the double EHF EURO champion (2006 and 2010), double Olympic gold medallist (2008 and 2012) and triple world champion (2001, 2009, 2011) with France.

"I am very happy that I will be able to teach what I know I can do and in a field in which I have proven myself," Dinart was quoted by international agency, AFP.

"For me to coach and transfer my knowledge is a logical choice following my playing career."

The 36-year-old will not only give advice to the French senior national team, but will also share his experience with the French youth and junior national teams.

"I've always wanted to be a coach, I had that in my blood I guess," Dinart said to French sports newspaper, L'Équipe.

"I've passed all my coaching exams (to become a professional coach), so it's like I've prepared my second life for a long time. But I'll start thinking about it when my last season with Paris (Saint-Germain HB) is over, I don't want to mix everything up."

A deep voice, a pleased coach

That means that there will still be several months for Dinart to come up with his first detailed coaching strategy.

"I've been talking with the (national handball) federation for only a month now, so it's all a little bit fresh.

"But I think that by the end of my run with the national team, I already had the respect from all the young players, and I took more and more time to explain things to them and try to polish every detail, because when you play at this level, the smallest detail counts.

"But the guys know me, and the younger players are afraid of my deep voice, so I think eveything will be alright."

France's national head coach, Claude Onesta, also expressed his satisfaction: "Of course, I'm happy. He was very much in this role before the last championship, and he's really been perfecting his defensive role for the last few years.

"So to be able to give that to the new generations is something we can't say no to."

TEXT: Kevin Domas / ts