Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud has revealed his club's project "didn't interest" Zinedine Zidane, leaving Willy Sagnol to be appointed the club's new coach instead.
Triaud, 64, presented Sagnol, 37, to media on Tuesday, but might have been introducing the former French international full-back's ex-Bleus team-mate instead had Zidane, 41, taken up his offer to replace Francis Gillot.
"As soon as I knew that Francis Gillot was leaving, I thought of Zinedine Zidane," said Triaud, who also said that media speculation the former Bordeaux midfielder might return to his old club had been well-founded.
"I went twice to Madrid, you were well-informed. I proposed to Zinedine and his agents a project which didn't interest Zinedine."
Following the former Ballon d'Or winner's rejection, Triaud turned to Sagnol, who had made an unbeaten start to his tenure of France's Under-21 side.
Having set Les Bleuets firmly on the path to qualification for EURO 2015, Sagnol opted to take up his first senior coaching role at club level, signing a two-year contract at the Stade Chaban-Delmas
Despite being a newcomer to the dug-out, the former Saint-Etienne and Monaco full-back insisted 'fear' was not to be found in his lexicon.
"I think someone who's afraid doesn't work in professional sport. On the contrary, there's a lot of excitement. The club finished seventh despite a difficult second half of the season, which signifies there is a lot of talent and potential," said Sagnol, who vowed to rid Bordeaux of the oft turgid playing style employed by Gillot with a philosophy shaped during nine successful years at Bayern Munich.
"I was made to understand that to have great performances, you have to really enjoy it. And to really enjoy it, you have to play, you have to have the ball, you have to have fun with it. That's what I'm going to try and do with the Girondins de Bordeaux."