Tempest in a teacup? Blanc looking for clarity on his contract

The latest news out of the FFF is not about preparing for the upcoming match against Belgium but rather a small tempest that seems to be brewing around the contract for Laurent Blanc. Le President's contract expires at the end of next seasons Euros, and understandable he made some comments that he would like to know his future before heading to Eastern Europe. The head of the FFF, on the other hand, remains mum on the topic: basically stating that this is not something to think about today.

Thumbs up for Blanc - let us make sure we see this thru to 2014

I see both sides of this coin, give Blanc an extension and if he pulls a Domenech during the Euros you cannot sack him without financial penalty. If you do not sign him he might pull a Santini and sign with a club prior to the tournament. In this situation I am leaning towards avoiding the Santini route. Le Graet needs to focus on the big picture, after the disaster that was Domenech (something France is still paying for both monetarily and on the pitch) what France need is stability. Blanc has clearly brought a calm leadership with what appears to be a solid strategy with regards to rebuilding the national side. Unlike Domenech, Blanc has been willing to bring in new blood on a regular basis. He has built his system around a spine of Lloris - Mexes/Rami - M'Vila - Benzema, but will need to continue to build on this adding the creative element - Martin? France will most likely head into the draw in the worst pot - #4, meaning they could end up with a group with Spain, Germany, Portugal...ouch. Granted they could also get a group with the likes of Ukraine, Russia, Greece - much more manageable. France need to know they will have a steady hand at the tiller. Add to this the qualifying group that Les Bleus face for the 2014 World Cup and it is imperative that Blanc has the support and backing of the federation - keep his plan in action and maintain consistency.

Group I

Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Spain	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
France	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Belarus	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Georgia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Finland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

The group of death!

I understand the federation's desire to take things cautiously and not lock themselves into a manager as they did with Domenech. One big difference in the two situations, Blanc is actually talented and intelligent, meaning he is a hot commodity on the market. Better lock him down before you lose control of his future.