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As a player Didier Deschamps won the Champions League twice. And last season Deschamps, who is only 36 years of age, was at the height of his career as a professional football coach by leading his side to the UEFA Champions League final. He was willing to answer a few questions from PSV Media. "I think every big club in Europe would love to have Van Bommel in their squad. Well anyway, I do!"It was September 2003, when PSV slipped to a 1-2 defeat at home in their first Champions League leg against AS Monaco. It was a huge disappointment for the Eindhoven team and a welcome surprise for the Monegasques. And this morale-boosting win was the start to a great European campaign for the Association Sportive de Monaco. Didier Deschamps looks back. "That tie was the start of our European campaign; we were delighted with the first win on foreign soil. The atmosphere that night was tremendous and I remember some fierce exchanges in midfield. At home we just managed to salvage a draw, which we considered a fair result, bearing in mind that PSV had so many quality players."Deschamps, who won a record 103 caps for his country and who had spells at FC Nantes, Olympique Marseille, Girondins Bordeaux, Juventus, Chelsea and Valencia, continues: "Ahead of the game in Eindhoven, my players were feeling insecure. Many of them made their debuts on the European stage and statistics revealed that no French team had ever recorded a win in the Eindhoven Philips stadium. We got a lot of self-confidence when we recorded a win. The players realized they were skilful enough to gain some more fine results."Every medal has two sides, though. Many stars left the club and their coach at the end of the season. Deschamps himself was also linked to other clubs, but he remained loyal to Monaco and built a new side. The new team survived the group phase after clashes with Deportivo La Coruña, Liverpool and Olympiakos Piraeus. Deschamps on PSV: "We might have been paired with a stronger club. Both teams want to progress to the quarter finals and PSV as well as Monaco are capable of doing so. They know us and we know them. They have brought some changes to their side as well."Deschamps, who will always be remembered as the midfielder who won the World Cup 1998, pays tribute to the business-like football played by Hiddink’s team. "They will pile up the pressure on Tuesday night. PSV may have lost Kezman and Robben, but they have signed Farfán and Beasley to replace them. And PSV have certainly been strengthened by the return of Cocu and the arrival of Alex." Mark van BommelWhich PSV player would he like to have in his squad? "Well, that’s a tough question, as I would certainly not want to belittle my own players and PSV have many quality players.” Yet there is one player in particular that Deschamps fancies. "Mark van Bommel, whose contract expires at the end of the season, is a truly great player. I think every big club in Europe would love to have Van Bommel in their squad. Well anyway, I do!"We asked Van Bommel to react. "I feel that’s great compliment. Deschamps was a great player and he has proved to be a great coach as well. I have been told that his players have only positive feelings about him. Whether I would like to play in France? Well, actually I have not a favourite country in that respect. But making a move to a club that has succeeded in reaching the UEFA Champions League final can never be a bad choice."
