Le Guen: will he stay or will he go?

[guignol]

Even more than Essien, Juninho or Govou, it's the future of Paul Le Guen at Olympique Lyonnais that's getting the most attention (3 new threads on the OL website on the subject just today, with a total of over 300 posts!)

His contract runs out in June, and after 3 straight titles, he's in a very strong bargaining position (not often that happens to a coach!)

If conjecture abounds, real news on the subject is scarce; OL doesn't hang it's laundry out in public.

The players definitely want him to stay. Juninho promised he would never leave as long as PLG is there. Coupet even started a petition to convince him to stay.

The fact that no decision has been announced yet seems a bad omen; if Le Guen's decision were to stay, no time would have been wasted making it public. I personally want to believe that the coach and the club simply decided not to start any negotiations until the fate of the team in CL and L1 was decided, and that was only a little over a week ago at Auxerre.

the most pervasive rumors have been that Le Guen would move on to PSG. Although it might seem strange that a coach would leave the most successful, but also the most stable and serene club in France for one of the most uneven and turbulent, but PLG played many years in Paris. Hot coals were added to the rumor when l'Equipe listed his name as the coach in the lineup for the PSG-Nice match (typo or practical joke?) The rumor that he would not be coach but President made a move to PSG seem a more logical decision (he has a master's degree in economics).

Now we know the name of PSG's new president (Blayau), and he says there is no recruitment of PLG in progress at this time.

But what about England or elsewhere? Any rumors floating around out there we'd like to know about?

[gaijin]

He will go to PSG in the summer....;) :D

Paul Le Guen = PSG legend. His heart runs the colours of Red and Blue. Deep in his heart he is a Parisian.

[SportBoy333]

If Le Guen leaves Aulas will make a big push for Dechamps. I think Dechamps would take the job. He's still a young manager and he has plenty of time to go abroad some day.

[guignol]

He will go to PSG in the summer....;) :D Paul Le Guen = PSG legend. His heart runs the colours of Red and Blue. Deep in his heart he is a Parisian.he makes no secret of the fact that his wife can't get used to lyon... but look at this!

http://www.psg.fr/fr/news/show.php?id=7324&PHPSESSID=fd6019a3754aafa5ec669ac647f5594e

Paris Saint-Germain formally denies the rumour announcing the arrival of Paul Le Guen as General Manager, or for any other post, in the club.

sorry ;)

[gaijin]

Yeah, that's what they all say - keep it cool, deny everything and then all of sudden it is announced.

;)

[sl7vk]

He will go to PSG in the summer....;) :D

Paul Le Guen = PSG legend. His heart runs the colours of Red and Blue. Deep in his heart he is a Parisian.

I say Nancy sacks Correa and hires LeGuen. They will be more competitive in League 1 next year than PSG anyways:)

No, seriously, he stays. Just increasing his contract each day he waits.

[Pierre-Henri]

He will go to PSG in the summer....;) :D

Paul Le Guen = PSG legend. His heart runs the colours of Red and Blue. Deep in his heart he is a Parisian.


Please don't make me laugh, Ganu. If Le Guen is prez and PSG loses 3 games in a row, you'll see "LE GUEN DEMISSION !" boards all over Parc des Princes.

We all know parisian supporters, it never fails.

[gaijin]

Please don't make me laugh, Ganu. If Le Guen is prez and PSG loses 3 games in a row, you'll see "LE GUEN DEMISSION !" boards all over Parc des Princes.

We all know parisian supporters, it never fails.

What, so you think Le Guen will publicly humilate the fans..... :mad:

Come on that is stupid. Please don't bring the Graille issue into this - that is like way off what we are talking about.

Stop being ridiclous. Le Guen is half the man he is at Lyon....he knows where his 'true' team lies.

[gaijin]

Lyon coach Paul Le Guen has denied having any contact with Paris Saint Germain, and reiterated that he will wait until his side have sewn up the Ligue 1 title before talking about his future.

The reigning champions stand on the brink of claiming their fourth title in a row as they are 11 points clear of Lille with just four games to go.

However, despite his golden touch at Stade Gerland, Le Guen has remained coy over his future, with recent reports suggesting that he could be set to switch to PSG.

Whilst Le Guen dismissed such notions out of hand, despite close friend Pierre Blayau recently being appointed chairman at Parc des Princes, he again admitted that he will reveal his decision once the title is secure.

"Of course I deny any contact with PSG, I remain faithful to my policy," said Le Guen.

"I will talk when the title is in our pocket, I will speak about what you want, I won't change my way of working now.

"Our aim is the most important, a fourth consecutive title is not just anything, it is something extraordinary.

"That is the only thing that matters at the moment."

A point against Ajaccio should be enough to seal the Championnat crown, and Le Guen is expected to tell l'OL chairman Jean-Michel Aulas that he either intends to carry on at Lyon or that he requires a sabbatical year.

Its odd, that it refers to a sabbatical. Semin did this in 1992 when he went to New Zealand. But then again, that was the mercurial Papa Semin - I doubt Le Guen at France's top club will be given better priviledges.

[Pierre-Henri]

What, so you think Le Guen will publicly humilate the fans..... :mad:

Come on that is stupid. Please don't bring the Graille issue into this - that is like way off what we are talking about.

Stop being ridiclous. Le Guen is half the man he is at Lyon....he knows where his 'true' team lies.

No, no, I was blaming the fans, not Le Guen. Paul le Guen (it's so obvious i should not have to say it) is one of the most competent men in french soccer history. And he is a true parisian, of heart.

But the supporters reactions are always predictible.
1- you wait for a man (player or coach) like a saviour.
2- you don't give him time to settle in his new team. Supporters want everything at once.
3- you start to whistle and show bad temper.
4- you call for his resignation.

It's the same in all teams. Supporters have no patience. Le guen is incredibly good, but I doubt he will have enough time in Paris to build a european-class team. In lyon, it took a decade; will parisian supporters wait that long ?

[gaijin]

No, no, I was blaming the fans, not Le Guen. Paul le Guen (it's so obvious i should not have to say it) is one of the most competent men in french soccer history. And he is a true parisian, of heart.

But the supporters reactions are always predictible.
1- you wait for a man (player or coach) like a saviour.
2- you don't give him time to settle in his new team. Supporters want everything at once.
3- you start to whistle and show bad temper.
4- you call for his resignation.

It's the same in all teams. Supporters have no patience. Le guen is incredibly good, but I doubt he will have enough time in Paris to build a european-class team. In lyon, it took a decade; will parisian supporters wait that long ?

I kinda agree with you, sometimes we are a passionate bunch and we have an overly high expectation of our team....

Sometimes, the supporters are quick to boo players if they aren't performing.

Whilst it can be seen as fickle, I for one think it's passion - and the times when supporters cheer for PSG on a regular basis, don't get the recognition, they get from the so called 'boo-boys'

I think many PSG fans need to understand that another capital city was not built in a day - for some reason, we all think that success is just around the corner. It isn't. :(

That said, I think certain fans were well in their justification in some of their actions this year - some performances on and off the field have been totally unacceptable.

[guignol]

i don't know where PLG is going, but clearly somewhere. last noght OL wrapped up the title, and when he was asked the burning question, he rather angrily answered "this isn't the time"... meaning he didn't want to spoil the party, we must assume.

but i can't see him going to PSG just to be manager. he has no intention of coaching all his life; i imagined he might replace graille, but that post is now filled... and by a friend. maybe they have another position in mind with larger duties than just managing.

[sl7vk]

Looks as if LeGuen just stepped down. What the hell does he have in mind, and who takes over at OL? Santini? :)

[nicephoras]

I was really surprised to see this. There don't appear to be any high profile openings this summer at other clubs, unless Valencia's unhappy with their current coach, but I don't think of that as a step up...........all the major clubs in the big 3 are set for the foreseeable future. I guess maybe it is PSG.
I do wonder, however, if some players who had previously wanted to stay will now reconsider. Given my club's financial clout, I don't want to hover like a vulture, but Lyon's roster is a very tasty "carcass", so to speak...............

[sl7vk]

I was really surprised to see this. There don't appear to be any high profile openings this summer at other clubs, unless Valencia's unhappy with their current coach, but I don't think of that as a step up...........all the major clubs in the big 3 are set for the foreseeable future. I guess maybe it is PSG.
I do wonder, however, if some players who had previously wanted to stay will now reconsider. Given my club's financial clout, I don't want to hover like a vulture, but Lyon's roster is a very tasty "carcass", so to speak...............

Oh give me a break. Everybody thought this club would tumble when Santini left, and what happened, even more success. The success of Lyon lies with Aulas, not with any particular coach. The will get a capable replacement and the core of Lyon will stay put. Essien goes, but I think Malouda and Junninho stay.

[nicephoras]

Oh give me a break. Everybody thought this club would tumble when Santini left, and what happened, even more success. The success of Lyon lies with Aulas, not with any particular coach. The will get a capable replacement and the core of Lyon will stay put. Essien goes, but I think Malouda and Junninho stay.

:confused: Where have I said this club would deteriorate? :confused: The players clearly liked LeGuen; I believe Coupet even started a petition to get him to stay. Juninho is reputed to have said that he wouldn't leave the club while LeGuen is there. I never said they'd be poor next season, I was merely assessing the chances of some of their players leaving now that LeGuen is gone.
Sheesh.

[fishbiproduct]

I was really surprised to see this. There don't appear to be any high profile openings this summer at other clubs, unless Valencia's unhappy with their current coach, but I don't think of that as a step up...........all the major clubs in the big 3 are set for the foreseeable future. I guess maybe it is PSG.
I do wonder, however, if some players who had previously wanted to stay will now reconsider. Given my club's financial clout, I don't want to hover like a vulture, but Lyon's roster is a very tasty "carcass", so to speak...............

It isn't really a surprise, as this has been
rumored for a while anyway. He would have
denied the possibility of him leaving the club
weeks ago if it weren't to be. He always said
we'd know after the championship was in the
bag, that's exactly what he did.

As far as going to PSG, he just announced
"definitively no", and he isn't a BS'er, so
that's it for that.

Replacement: OL's president, Aulas, knew
of this situation, so I guess he was prepared.
That's a repeat of what happened in 2002
anyway, when Santini left, and he coped.
Lyon is a good club, they do have money and
will find someone.
Aulas had mentioned being in contact with
both French and foreign coaches: Nantes's
coach, Real Sociedad's (Denoueix), Boloni
(Romania, currently with Rennes), Puel
(Lille) or PLG's assistant at OL, Colleu.

[sl7vk]

I think AZ's coach should be thrown into the mixer. Co Adriaanese.

[fishbiproduct]

As for players leaving, it shouldn't make
much of a difference: Govou is most likely
gone, but we knew that.
Question marks are Juninho, Diarra and Essien.
Juninho: I doubt he would leave, he has a
"good job" with Lyon, and his age doesn't
put him in a good position on the market.

Essien: maybe, but that's not news either.
The club has money to replace him and
would probably make a bundle selling
him. Always bad to loose players like him
but he isn't irreplacable.

That leaves Diarra. Not irreplacable either.

[nicephoras]

I think AZ's coach should be thrown into the mixer. Co Adriaanese.

Hasn't he already signed on to coach Porto next season?