Under Pressure Zidane Rules Out Lengthy Real Stay & Insists He Isn't Protected by Playing Career

Zinedine Zidane has insisted he won't still be the manager of Real Madrid in 10 years, and expressed his desire to prove himself as a coach during difficult moments.

The Frenchman is going through his toughest period since taking over as Los Blancos' manager in January 2016, and the club are now 16 points behind leaders Barcelona after drawing 2-2 with Celta Vigo, in what surely will be too big a gap to overcome to retain their league title this year.

Things have been pretty rosy under Zidane, who has delivered one league title, two Champions Leagues, two Super Cups, two Club World Cups, a Supercopa de Espana, and claimed two Manager of the Month awards as well as a host of other individual honours.

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Despite his tremendous success so far, Zidane cannot see himself in the same job 10 years down the line and that his reputation as a player will not protect him as a coach.

He admitted to France Football, as quoted by AS: "Zinedine Zidane isn't a player at Real Madrid anymore. That Zidane no longer exists. Now it's down to Zinedine Zidane the coach to carve out a career. I'm not protected by what I've done as a player at this club.

"I know that one day it [the coach's job] will come to an end at Real Madrid, so I make the most of it and I do everything I can to be successful. I say to myself: 'If I've got 10 days left here, then I'm going to live those 10 days to the max; if it's six months, I'll live those six months to the max.' I don't think beyond that. I know I won't stay [in the job] for 10 years.

"I want to show that I can also be a good coach when the going gets tough. Difficulties don't frighten me; I'm ready for that. People might think that everything comes easy to me, that I do it all by instinct, but they'd be wrong. Be it as a player or as a coach, I've always worked hard."