GENVAL, Belgium, June 30 (Reuters) - Uneasy under the spotlight, French coach Roger Lemerre is quite happy to let his team do the talking for him on the pitch.

Those who know the quiet 59-year-old, whose team faces Italy in Sunday's Euro 2000 final, insist he is generous and friendly but since the start of the tournament, he has appeared tense in public.

Lemerre is aware how much his friend Aime Jacquet, whom he replaced as coach after the 1998 World Cup triumph, suffered from media criticism and he sometimes finds the burden of his high-profile job hard to bear.

Careful to protect his private life, he rarely give interviews and only attends news conferences because he has to.

But as far as coaching is concerned, he is having a great time.

'I have inherited an exceptional team surrounded by an excellent atmosphere,' he said. 'That has enabled me to work very peacefully.'

Jacquet's assistant during the World Cup campaign, Lemerre was preferred to more glamorous candidates because of his inside knowledge.

'I was able to appreciate the team with Aime,' he said. 'I was fascinated by them and that's why I decided to accept this mission. I knew the players well and I could feel they trusted me. That made things a lot easier.'

A pugnacious wing back for several French first division clubs in the 1960s and 1970s, Lemerre had won six caps for France when he embarked on a coaching career in 1975.

Two French Cup finals, with Sedan and Nantes, was all he had achieved when he started to work for the French federation in 1986. Coaching the B side and the military team, which he led to the world title in 1995, helped him get familiar with several members of the current squad.

'I've known quite a few players for a long time, some since they were kids,' he said.

The head of the French army's football camp for years, Lemerre believes that a group cannot get anywhere without discipline.

Like Jacquet, he regards hard work as the cardinal virtue and the players, no matter how talented, know they have to sweat in training to win their place.

France have lived up to their reputation as favourites so far but Lemerre modestly said it had little to do with him.

'I am lucky to have a remarkable generation of players who all know expectations are high and who always give their best to achieve their goal, which is victory. It's not over yet but so far they have done exactly what they had to.'

Lemerre relies on the watertight back four who were instrumental in the World Cup victory and on a midfield blessed with talent in which playmaker Zinedine Zidane remains the inspiration.

He can also count on several young players like Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka and Patrick Vieira, who were all highly promising in the Jacquet era and who have since matured into world class players.

'There is something happening in that team which is very encouraging, not only for the outcome of this tournament but also looking forward to the 2002 World Cup,' said Lemerre, who is expected to stay in charge until then.

'This group seems to have the capacity to carry on until 2002,' he added.

With arguably the best France team ever at full strength under his guidance, Lemerre would have little to worry about, if only he did not have to answer all those questions.