In a recent interview with As newspaper, Pierre, the former Lille boss and well-known French coach, shared his impressions of Hazard at the beginning of his career, his past experiences against Real Madrid, and his prediction for the Lille vs. Real Madrid match, among other topics.
About Hazard
Pierre revealed that he noticed the young player's talent as early as when Hazard was 16 years old. "Hazard was 16 years old and I had him training with the professional team when his ability and talent became apparent." Pierre recalled. Pierre first took notice of Hazard when he was 14 years old after he had gone to watch his son play in a game in which Hazard had shown excellent passing ability, helping the winger score a number of goals.
Asked if he expected Hazard to be a star, Pierre said, "I gave Hazard his debut in the friendly against Bruges. He was quite amazing, going past four or five players and passing the ball to a teammate who simply pushed it into the net. He showed great maturity on the field and didn't feel any pressure. That's the sign of a great player."
On the reasons for Hazard's failure to succeed at Real Madrid, Pierre believes that injuries are the main reason. "Hazard has never been able to play at his best, injuries have hampered his performances, but at Chelsea he was named as the best player in the Premier League and did very well."
On the showdown with Real Madrid
Recalling Lille's elimination of Real Madrid in 2010, Pierre said, "That year, the Champions League final was to be held at the Bernabeu. We were 0-1 down in the first half and Real Madrid took control. Two of my defenders were injured at half-time and I replaced them with two attacking players, including Pjanic. We had a great second half and deserved to advance, despite the great Real Madrid opponent."
Pierre believes that the half-time substitutions changed the game, with Pjanic playing a key role. On that Real Madrid team with superstars such as Crowe, Kaka, Benzema and Alonso, Pierre said, "The key to knocking out such a star-studded team was the tactical adjustments made after the substitutions and the excellent performance of the players."
About Lille v Real Madrid
Commenting on the upcoming Lille v Real Madrid match, Pierre said, "Lille have to go to play Champions League qualifiers in August, which puts a burden on the players' bodies with frequent and intensive matches. Lille are going through a small low at the moment, but they have high-level players who are capable of playing well against Real Madrid."
On the future of coaching
Finally, when asked if he would still like to coach at one of the clubs in Europe, Pierre said, "I am always willing to coach, but only if the opportunity is right."
