World Cup thought for the day: Servant leadership: Three cheers for Didier Deschamps and the ‘water carriers’

World Cup thought for the day: Servant leadership: 

Three cheers for Didier Deschamps and the ‘water carriers’

It was a cold night when we arrived at Stamford bridge in November 1999 and I quickly picked up a commemorative scarf to keep the wind chill off my chest. That night Chelsea strolled past Hertha Berlin into the group stages of the Champions League. This was before the billionaire arrived and people are quick to forget we had a great team which already had remarkable international talent including Spanish right back Ferrer, the Italian wizard Zola and three world cup winning stars from 1998: Desailly, Leboeuf and Didier Deschamps. 

Just 9 mins into the game, Deschamps wins the ball in midfield, takes a touch to push the ball to the right side of his body away from danger and from 25 yards, lets fly with a screamer that beats the keeper with pace, swerve and attitude. Standing on what is now the West Stand, we jumped and danced in celebration, not just at the quality of the goal or the occasion, but the scorer. Didier Deschamps was the original ‘water carrier’ who rarely put the ball in the net, wasn’t interested in the limelight but absolutely devoted himself to serving others and hard work.

At 5ft 7inch Deschamps was a holding midfielder who rarely scored yet managed to captain Marseille to four straight French championships and a 1993 Champions League title before leading the French national team to world cup victory in 1998 and European Champions in 2000. 

If all goes well tonight, he will become only the third person ever to captain and manage his country to world cup success. 

Back in September 1996 Deschamps was playing for Juventus who were hosting Manchester United in a Champions League game. The outspoken United genius Eric Cantona had just returned from an 8-month ban and was more than a little wounded that he was not selected for the French national team ahead of Deschamps. In the build up to the game La Gazzetta interviewed Cantona and asked about Deschamps. He told the reporter that players like this can be found ‘on every street corner’, he was a ‘limited’ footballer whose entire job was to feed the ball to better players. The best thing one might say about him was he was a porteur d’eau; A water carrier. 

Juventus went on to win 1-0 and Deschamps had the opportunity before a crowded press room to humiliate Cantona; instead he chose to calmly responded to his comments saying ‘I don’t mind being called a water carrier.’ He was free to devote himself to working hard and serving others. 

On the French national team, Deschamps primary focus was to put the ball at the feet of Zinedine Zidane. “For every 10 balls I play I gave 9 to him”, Deschamps said. On the team he said, “you can’t only have architects, you also need bricklayers.” To Deschamps, carrying water was servant leadership, the sort most football fans don’t appreciate. Chelsea have had the privilege of having three of the best water carriers in world football who all happened to be French: Deschamps, MaKelele and Kante. 

Claude Makelele, is now a footballing legend but when he arrived at Chelsea he was only known as another water carrier. It was under Mourinho’s 4-3-3 formation that saw a role on the pitch now named after him and he helped change English football’s traditional 4-4-2 mindset forever. 

Makelele’s sale from Real Madrid to Chelsea had left the footballing world with two quotes that have been circulated since. Here is one from Florentino Perez after the sale of the Frenchman.

“We will not miss Makélelé. His technique is average, he lacks the speed and skill to take the ball past opponents, and ninety percent of his distribution either goes backwards or sideways. He wasn't a header of the ball and he rarely passed the ball more than three metres. Younger players will arrive who will cause Makélelé to be forgotten.”

The next quote is Zinedine Zidane’s disagreement with the transfer. The playmaker referred to the signing of David Beckham whilst responding with a creative comment. “Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine?”

It was no surprise that the sale of Claude Makelele began the downfall of Real Madrid which led to a consecutive run of six years where the team failed to make it beyond the last 16 of the Champions League. It also began the rise of Chelsea Football Club as a title contender, en route to winning their first domestic league title for 50 years.

N’Golo Kante is the current ‘porteur d’eau’ extraordinaire. In 2012-13 season at age 21 he was playing 3rd Division French football. For many people he was too limited and too small to make it as a serious professional. Fast forward 6 years and he has two premier league winners medals with Leicester and Chelsea, PFA player of the year, nominated for the Ballon d’Or, player of the year award at Chelsea, is on the verge of a possible dream move to Barcelona (let’s hope not!)  and tonight will play in the World Cup final under the watchful eye of the original water carrier. His work ethic and servant leadership on the pitch is phenomenal and helped him pick up the nick name ‘the man with the three lungs.’ 

Conclusion: 

What kind of leader do you aspire to be in school, business, sport, church etc?

Deschamps once said ‘I knew I couldn’t make a difference with a single move; but over the long run, through hundreds of small acts of service and management, I was able to balance things out.’ 

What can you do today to be a water carrier?

The greatest leaders are often not the most talented and skilful. Indeed the best way to lead is to serve with an extreme level of doggedness leaving everyone in no doubt: they are giving everything they’ve got. 

Jesus said: ’Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, the servant of all.’ Mark 9:35 

That's pretty good advice!

Work hard, serve hard, love what you do. 

Allez Les Bleus