So a bit of a bummer update: Luzenac was stripped of its Ligue 2 status sometime in the past few weeks and demoted to, I think, the sixth division? My French is rusty, I haven't seen any English language reports and online translators aren't that much more helpful. But basically, the French federation called BS on a club from a town of 650 people becoming a professional team. There is an appeal scheduled for tomorrow (Mercredi) in Toulouse. Here is an article from today: http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/201...ac-ariege-pyrenees-sera-fixe-ce-mercredi.html Here is another one from a week ago where Westberg is quoted speaking on behalf of the players: http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2014/07/23/1923008-le-luzenac-ap-ne-baisse-pas-les-armes.html
Wednesday morning at 10am (France time), Ligue 2 starts on Friday evening. Basically what the first one says is that there is nothing more that the club can do. They have succeeded in getting a judge to rule on the case, everything is now out of their hands. The tribunal will be open to the public, so the president of the club has asked that all of the supports that can, please show up. It helps that they have Fabien Barthez and his name, and his money. Westberg does well to represent the players. He said the right things without getting into too much detail.
Looks like the decision will come down on Thursday. http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jul/30/luzenac-french-fairytale
http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2014/07/30/1926836-o montee-en-ligue-2-luzenac-devra-encore-attendre.html This article states that the response will be wither Thursday or Friday. The club had players, management, and over 100 fans attend the hearing. Just to be clear, according to this article the reason they were not granted Ligue 2 status is not due to the small town, but due to the financial requirements/guarantees set forth by the league. These rules are in place to prevent something like Portsmouth FC from happening again. Basically it is as simple as this, Luzenac says they have the money, the two agencies say they do not.
Seems the regulatory agencies have doubts about Luzenac's ability to meet their obligations on an ongoing basis due to the big increase in expenditures coming from being in Ligue 2, not least the cost of renting the Toulouse stadium 80 miles away. There is a sugar daddy who has been funding the club's rise, but countries that have regulators are usually very concerned about the sugar daddy either going bust or losing interest and pulling the plug. Kenny Deuchar could tell you all about that from his time at Gretna. Normally I'd say let sporting merit decide, but there is a legitimate doubt about a team from a village of 650 being able to keep going at even French D3 (English or German D4) level in the long term. The Guardian has a good wrtite-up here their own ground, the Stade Paul Fédou, has only one stand and 400 seats so was not even deemed worthy of the National, which is why they played last season at a ground in nearby Foix – but that only has a capacity of 3,000, far fewer than is required to meet Ligue 2 standards. Luzenac had made arrangements to play their home games this season in Toulouse, some 80 miles away. It has been suggested that concerns over the club’s ability to pay the rent for that on an on-going basis was one of the chief factors in the DNCG’s decision to refuse admission, although Luzenac complain that one of the most vexing things about their rejection is that they have not been given any precise explanation for it. ... Luzenac insist that they have a sound budget for the season ahead and that their books are perfectly balanced – “we are not even one euro in arrears,” said Barthez – and that they are being punished not for anything that they have done but rather for what the league suspects they will not be able to continue doing; in other words, not for any mismanagement, just for being small. http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jul/30/luzenac-french-fairytale
http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2014/07/31/1927334-jerome-ducros-24-heures-plus-longues-lap.html Still nothing today. As it is already 6:30pm is France, I would assume that noting will be announced today.
http://www.francetvsport.fr/football/ligue-2/une-nouvelle-chance-pour-luzenac-236961 Looks like the court ruled in Luzenac's favor and suspended the regulatory agency's decision. The regulatory agency will hear Luzenac's case again within 8 days.
when does the league start? if it is pending, that ruling should see them into Ligue 2 by default perhaps. What a mess this has become though, gonna be 21 teams in ligue 2 next year if that goes through and a schedule shuffle with four relegation teams. What was the additional team that benefitted from this? was a ligue 2 side allowed to stay up? or was it another lower division side that went up at Luzenac's initial expense?
Gorky - you beat me to it. http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/201...issement-luzenac-accepte-en-ligue-2-mais.html Basically what has happened is that the judge ordered the regulatory agencies to look again at the finances and financial guarantees of the club. Why is this a win for Luzenac? Ligue 2 starts this weekend. If the season starts, and they are in Ligue 2, it will be harder for them to be removed. That being said, Ligue 2 has 21 teams in it this season, as they thought that Luzenac would not be able to play. So that will create scheduling problems.
draaamaaaaa........ but good drama , that is a pretty big win for Luzenac then. That forces the issue now that the league starts this weekend, and the scheduling guys in france are gonna be in overdrive creating a schedule for 21 teams. Putting the numbers together it looks like Quentin will be playing Ligue 2 ball this year.
http://www.ligue1.com/ligue2/calendrier_resultat Does not list Luzenac yet. Châteauroux was allowed to remain after being relegated last season.
Such a peculiar situation. Really going down to the wire with this one. Interesting player, too. Clairefontaine, US YNT history, and still relatively young for his position (28) with a chance to play at a fairly decent level again, which not for nothing he earned.
What seems to happen each year is that one team is far and away the best. Usually they are one of the yo-yo clubs that alternate between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. The other two promotion spots are usually up for grabs between 5 or so teams. About 10 teams sit in the middle, with not a whole lot to separate them. Usually those matches are not won by moments of brilliant play, but mistakes. The bottom team is usually really bad, and the remaining two relegation spots are fought over by 4 or so teams. So in terms of competition, it is like most leagues in the world. Where would they stack up regarding other 2nd Divisions? I would put it this way: Championship B2 Ligue 2 Spanish League 2 Serie B Just my opinion.
Personally, I'd put Ligue 2 as weaker than Spain (La Coruna, Zaragoza, Sporting Gijon are in there this season) but possibly stronger than Serie B, but otherwise I'd agree entirely.
Appreciate the comments. I know from watching the Championship might be restricted in its style but with loads of potential talent and of course clubs with big pockets. But I'm surprised at how lowly rated say Serie B and Segunda Division are. Though maybe it has something to do with say in England reserve teams have their own league right whereas in Spain/Germany reserve squads of the top division seem to reign in the 2nd division or maybe I'm way off?
OK, now the Ligue has denied Luzenac a place in Ligue 2 on the basis of not having a sufficient stadium. They had convinced the DNCG that their finances were OK. https://sports.yahoo.com/news/village-teams-big-time-dream-shattered-163805615--sow.html Apparently Luzenac will continue to appeal the decision: http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2014/luzenac-set-to-appeal-yet-again-for-ligue-2-status/
The problem is that if Luzenac is allowed to play in Ligue 2, they will be at a competitive disadvantage, not the least will be marketing. They will need to condense all of their league matches into a shorter period of time. More midweek matches that are taxing for teams with big squads. For a little club, this is going to be almost impossible.
Well they did decide it (negatively) before the season, but Luzenac keeps appealing. Now it's hard for the league to accept them because it will result in 21 teams and the problems @RobtheAggie mentioned above.