OL women

[AfrcnHrbMan]

Ha shows how much I know about women's football. That my two favorite teams could meet in a european clash and I not even hear about it is sad. I hardly call 3-2 on aggregate a beating though lol.

[guignol]

it was the manière... a solid 0-0 at home, opening the score in the rain, and then coming back to win... in the second half at boreham OL was about 6 notches above, arsenal was just wrung out.

[AfrcnHrbMan]

Oh ok, as I didn't see the match I'll take your word for it. You can concievably be bossed in a 3-2 match.

[guignol]

witness the OL-MU match in 2004... except for those 5 minutes where RVN scored twice, lyon dominated outrageously but the final score was still 2-2.

[Inara]

Lyon are more determined than ever in taking over Europe. This year, Lyon have not only kept their squad together (no one left), but they're adding four other players, all experienced internationals.

Corine Franco, a French DM from Soyaux
Lara Dickenmann, a Swiss striker from Ohio State
Cynthia Uwak, a Nigerian striker from Falköpings KIK
Lotta Schelin, a Swedish striker from Göteborg FC

Schelin's transfer to Lyon is the most expensive in Swedish women's football. Aulas means business, I guess. Maybe next year, he'll try to lure in Marta or something. ;)

That's a lot of strikers, but a lack of a reliable goal scorer was one of the problems identified last season by Farid Benstiti. Lyon are now pretty much covered in all areas. The squad is almost entirely international, representing France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Brazil, Nigeria, and Costa Rica. Most of the women play in the senior level on their NTs, and the remaining handful in the youth levels.

It is entirely possible that OL Féminines will win the triple (league, cup, and Europe) this year. :)

[Bonnie Lass]

Argh! Beat me to it, Inara. :D

Here's some more information:
http://dandal.webblogg.se/

But according to her chairman it is a two year contract and according to other sources the contract could be worth more than SEK 1 million a year for her.

Should be interesting. As I've posted elsewhere, as a Kopparbergs/Göteborg fan, I'm sad to see her go, but I'm excited for OL. :)

[Inara]

Can you tell us more about her? I'm really new to women's football, and I mostly follow OL anyways, so I don't know much about Lotta or the Swedish league. Most of what I learned about her today was from her wikipedia page. Do you think she'll be the solution to Lyon's goal scoring issues?

[Dandal]

Can you tell us more about her? I'm really new to women's football, and I mostly follow OL anyways, so I don't know much about Lotta or the Swedish league. Most of what I learned about her today was from her wikipedia page. Do you think she'll be the solution to Lyon's goal scoring issues?
Lotta Schelin is Sweden's leading goalscorer, 8 goals in 9 matches 2008, including 3 in the Olympics. Has been the leading goalscorer the last few years in the Swedish league, 25 in 22 matches 2007, more than Marta. She can score.

She's a tall, fast and skilled forward. Outruns most defenders and can be used as a winger. Sweden's top (domestic) female footballer at the present. Also really charming with a good sense of self-irony, but that might not translate into a foreign language she doesn't master.

Seriously, Lyon is to be congratulated, even if they appearently has to pay big money for her.

[Inara]

Lotta Schelin is Sweden's leading goalscorer, 8 goals in 9 matches 2008, including 3 in the Olympics. Has been the leading goalscorer the last few years in the Swedish league, 25 in 22 matches 2007, more than Marta. She can score.

She's a tall, fast and skilled forward. Outruns most defenders and can be used as a winger. Sweden's top (domestic) female footballer at the present. Also really charming with a good sense of self-irony, but that might not translate into a foreign language she doesn't master.

Seriously, Lyon is to be congratulated, even if they appearently has to pay big money for her.


Sounds like we could use Lotta for the men's team. She's probably a better option than Baros and Piquionne at this point.

I read an interview of Vic Akers (the Arsenal coach) a while back where he was complaining that the dynamics were changing now that richer clubs are becoming more involved in women's football. With clubs like Lyon, who are more than willing to spend money to buy what players they want, it makes it difficult for other traditional powers who might be operating on a more limited budget (which ironically includes Arsenal LFC).

I don't think Lotta would have come to Lyon other than for the money, but at the same time, I think she's the start of what Akers was talking about. Aulas is quite happy to spend money on the women's team and would probably try to get Marta if he thought there was a chance. But it'll eventually get unfair for some of the smaller clubs who may not be able to hold onto their players as other clubs in weaker leagues begin to spend more money on women's football.

[Bonnie Lass]

Cross-posted from the women's international forum:

-- Lotta Schellin signed a 2-year contract with Olympique Lyonnais and will fly to Lyon on Monday. Her annual earnings will be around SEK 1.5 million. ($233,000 USD).

Schelin skrev på för Lyon (http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/damfotboll/article3202066.ab)

(Makes me wonder what Nordby makes there, because I cannot find a salary mentioned for her. Not now, and not when she signed.)

[Bonnie Lass]

In case y'all didn't see it yet:

Louisa Necib and Sonia Bompastor on the list of 'drafted' internationals for the WPS:

http://www.womensprosoccer.com/newsitem_ektid5106.aspx

These are just the rights to negotiate with these players, and nothing's been signed yet. But I thought it was interesting. Does anyone think they'd be inclined to jump ship?

[guignol]

an american adventure per se would be very enticing to most french players and if there really will be £2.5M salary per team ... good luck for sonia and louisa since they could use this interest to leverage a better contract from OL at the very least.

i wonder if there wasn't some sounding out of the players before the draft; after all with only 4 rounds it's silly to waste a pick on someone who has no intention whatever of coming. otherwise it's hard to figure out why washington, who picked both french players, would go for bompastor, even if she is captain, instead of camille abily who has been POTY in france 3 times.

but in that respect it's also hard to understand why schelin was picked: she just signed a 2 year contract at OL so i doubt StL will get permission to talk to her. her contract is probably as good as what she would get in the US anyway.

[Bonnie Lass]

an american adventure per se would be very enticing to most french players and if there really will be £2.5M salary per team ...

The $2.5 million is for the team's total budget; definitely not just for salaries. (Come to think of it, I think MLS' salary cap is only $2.3M.) So, I seriously doubt Lotta would get 1/2 of what she's getting for OL.

They drafted several players that don't make sense. Of course, they only drafted the rights to talk to them, not them, but still ... Very odd. Unless they've drafted the permanent negotiation rights with these players. Meaning, when her OL contract runs out, St. Louis would be the only team that could talk to her.

Anyway, I was just curious, since they were both from OL. Of all the clubs in Europe, OL seems like one you wouldn't want to leave.

[guignol]

that's a very nice thing to say, and thanks for the info about the $2.5M... i susoected it was budget too, but several articles called it the salary cap.

mind you, if one day a real professional league for women's football that attracts the martas, schelins and abilys comes about, the only place it could be is in the states, and the salary cap would have to be about that.

[DaeHaMinGuk]

that's a very nice thing to say, and thanks for the info about the $2.5M... i susoected it was budget too, but several articles called it the salary cap.

mind you, if one day a real professional league for women's football that attracts the martas, schelins and abilys comes about, the only place it could be is in the states, and the salary cap would have to be about that.

Not sure if it means much, but the MLS salary cap is currently at around 2 million dollars...

[Bonnie Lass]

that's a very nice thing to say, and thanks for the info about the $2.5M... i suspected it was budget too, but several articles called it the salary cap.

OL seems to care about building up a truly professional women's side. From what you've said in the past to what I've taken from various articles, it feels like they're being treated like a men's club. A real club. It's actually quite refreshing.

Before I forget, one more OL player has been listed by the WPS: Camille Abily. So, that's four OL players the U.S. is looking at. Truthfully, I don't want them to come over. At least not until OL has won the UEFA Cup. :)

For those who may care:
http://dandal.webblogg.se/watch/index.html

Dandal, the all-knowing, all-powerful Swede :D has set up an offshoot of his normal blog about Swedes playing abroad, focused mainly on Lotta Schellin.

[Bonnie Lass]

Nordby's listed as 'doubtful' for the UEFA match on Thursday. Calf injury, apparently.

:(

I just hope she's healthy for Arsenal.

Speaking of Norwegians, OL has approached Lene Mykjåland who currently plays with Røa in toppserien. She's a good little striker. Five goals for the senior NT and 24 for her club. I hope y'all can add her. :)

[Inara]

Wow, another striker? Lyon are already paying Schelin top money, and they will be getting Lara Dickenmann and Cynthia Uwak this winter (both are also strikers). While I'm glad that Lyon are taking care of things up front, surely there is another area of the squad that could use some tweaking.

[guignol]

this sunday OL - Juvisy ended in a 0-0 draw.

the result is no catastophe in itself, juvisy is the best preparation for europe D1 has to offer, and the last three meeting have all been draws. lyon fielded their A team with the exception of abily who only played the last 20 minutes; katia hit the bar just at the end... up to there it's probably better than beating vendenheim by 20 goals.

the only worry is that nordby sprained her calf and had to go out on 81' and is uncertain for neulengbach thursday. but again this isn't the end of the world because véro pons is an excellent backup; in fact if she had been healthy last year we might not have picked up bente at all.

[Bonnie Lass]

The article said that someone at Lyon had approached Mykjåland a little while ago, but that they would hold serious talks once the toppserien season was over. She seems excited about it, but I don't know if it will pan out.

Røa didn't seemed too pleased by the talk she had with OL, even if it was just a passing thing, but then again, two other players have been listed as part of the WPS draft, including Lene.

Their season is set to end in the next few weeks, so I guess we'll see what happens.