- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
I don’t speak French. What the hell happened?
Fast and loose translation using the translate option in Safari. Article doesn’t really go into much detail.
Red lantern of Ligue 1, Olympique Lyonnais separated from its coach Laurent Blanc on Friday night. Jean-François VullIiez is the new number 1 and will be assisted by Sonny Anderson and Jérémie Bréchet.
Laurent Blanc, who was under contract until June 2024, is no longer OL’s coach. Tuesday’s training will be provided by Jean-François Vulliez, who was part of his staff, and who will have as assistants Sonny Anderson (president’s advisor) and Jérémie Bréchet, current U19 coach.
Blanc, who learned the news on Friday, was removed from office and will therefore no longer sit on the Lyon bench. Vulliez will act as an interim while John Textor continues to look for a number 1. Gennaro Gattuso, advised by influential agent Jorge Mendes, is one of the candidates. The Italian technician (45 years old) has been free since his departure from Valencia at the end of January.
Thanks for that. So ain’t nobody talking yet.
BBC Sport gives a little more background.
Lyon manager Laurent Blanc has been sacked with the team bottom of Ligue 1. A 4-1 home defeat by Blanc’s former club Paris St-Germain proved to be his final match in charge of the club, who said Blanc left by “mutual agreement”. Lyon have only one point from four games this season and Ligue 1’s worst goal difference. Technical director Jean-Francois Vulliez, who oversees Lyon’s renowned academy, will manage the first team on an interim basis. Blanc, 57, was appointed Lyon manager in October and the club ended last season in seventh, outside Ligue 1’s European places. It was his first managerial role in France since leaving PSG after the 2015-16 season, although Blanc had managed Al Rayyan in Qatar in the interim. Results were disappointing and Blanc’s average of 1.53 points per game is the worst of any permanent Lyon manager of the past 25 years aside from Sylvinho, who lasted just nine league matches. Blanc previously won three Ligue 1 titles managing PSG and another in charge of Bordeaux. Former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter, 48, was reported to have turned down the Lyon job last week. Gennaro Gattuso, 45, is another manager strongly linked to the vacancy, having left his previous job in charge of Valencia in January. During Blanc’s tenure, American businessman John Textor - who also owns shares in Crystal Palace - completed a takeover of the club.
So there you go. New owner inherited Blanc, his PPG is ass, and they’re in the toilet. OK. Good reasons.