Re: OL Transfer Thread It's great to hear that he's commited to the club and likes it there. He will be invaluable next year.
Re: OL Transfer Thread He just got here. Even if he wanted to leave, he's not exactly in high demand. Though it is nice to hear him speak so confidently, especially in light of comments from many of the other players.
Re: OL Transfer Thread Whereas JMA has been showing his support for Houllier saying that Lyon have had their "best season" so far, we are being linked with a move for new manager. Some names that have already surfaced include Claude Puel, Alain Perrin, Marcello Lippi, Didier Deschamps, and Houllier's number two Remi Garde. Puel and DD were among the candidates touted as PLG's possible successors a couple of years ago.
Re: OL Transfer Thread I don't think having a French coach will help us all that much. We need a manager who has great CL pedigree. Deschamps took Monaco far in 2004, but I can't think of any other realistic French managers who fit the bill.
Re: OL Transfer Thread Lyon has never had a non-French coach before. But I think it might help the club if it could get away from the typical "French" style of play. I'm a big fan of Spalletti. It's too bad he signed an extension with Roma because I wouldn't mind him at Lyon one bit. He's the first manager since 2003 to come to the Gerland for a European match and win.
Re: OL Transfer Thread Houllier has already made it clear that he has no intention of leaving Lyon in sight. That being said, he will exercise the option to extend his current contract for a further year and thus we will not see any change in management at least till next season. Or unless he gets fired during course.
Re: OL Transfer Thread Well he's become the first manager to lose by 6 goals in Europe's most prestious competition. You must have some words to take back.
Re: OL Transfer Thread I was really surprised at how much Spalletti's tactics backfired. But I think it was more due to naivety than anything else, and with more experience, I think he has a future as a great manager. But yeah...I wouldn't want him at OL just yet....
Re: OL Transfer Thread We know Cacapa, Diarra, Abidal, and Malouda are going to be four of them, but that still leaves us with three or so more unhappy players.
Re: OL Transfer Thread 7 or 8 sounds excessive, but he may be including players we hardly know who are stuck in the reserves and would rather play for lorient or even in L2 or switz (like hima) than spend their career in the CFA. malouda i would only pencil onto the list. but RVR and fabio santos haven't particularly impressed this year. don't forget fred has definitely been getting up GH's and JMA's nostrils in a serious way too!
Re: OL Transfer Thread Diarra, Berthod, Vercoutre, Abidal, Caçapa. That's 5 of them. We're not sure Malouda or Réveillère aren't going to leave. And we know Riou and Belhadj are on the way to "the Champion's League every year". So we can expect between 3 and 5 newcomers. Garde and Lacombe already know who they are ? I hope good surprises. I think it will be, as usual, a 20-years-old Moldavian midfielder, who plays in the Lettonian 3rd division, costs almost nothing but has the potential to be the new Lampard. And will be sold 35 million euros in 3 years to Manchester.
Re: OL Transfer Thread Rumors are that Reveillere might be going to Paris this summer? Just curious as to whether anyone has any news/feelings on this or whether he has made any statements recently on what he intends to do. Thanks and good luck in tonight's match.
Re: OL Transfer Thread so, 7 or 8 departures? seems like a lot to me, but it's JMA saying it, not maxifoutaise... so let's put it under a microscope, starting with... houllier - despite the strong hints recently (GH talking about his great rapport with JMA, who in turn expressed confidence in his coach in terms completely different from cayzac or roussilon) rumors have persisted about houllier leaving. so aulas made a front page statement in l'équipe that should be crystal clear: ged stays. and ask yourself... if so many players are leaving, isn't it partly at GH's request? i don't think they'd have him remodel the team just to have him go. probability of leaving: 0% coupet - even more than juni, greg's the OL icon, in a league with sonny. any rumors about his going are due to his being what journalists call "a good customer". and both he and the president have made clear statements nixing a move. probability of leaving: 0% vercoutre - the opposite case. rémy's been a good sport, and used to feel he'd rather sit a champion's bench than play in the middle of the table. now he's changed his mind and no bones or hard feelings about it on either side. probability of leaving: 100% abidal - numerous and longstanding rumors about him, but the statements from him and the club have been short and sweet. for a price, and one OL will likely get, he's outta here. probability of leaving: 95% berthod - the club wouldn't fight tooth and nail to keep jeremy, but he doesn't seem to have any ambition to leave either, even though he'll probably remain a sub. probability of leaving: 20% caçapa - the first really sad case. (ex) captain claudio loves OL and lyon, but since he clearly isn't going to get any playing time, he's set on leaving, and for services rendered JMA will do anything it takes, including waiving the transfer fee. but will he find a taker? probability of leaving: 99% müller - no rumors about pat. he is a willing and usually dependable sub, but his matches this year have ranged from huge to puny. still with claudio and others going, he should provide some serenity in the clubhouse... he's also a former captain. probability of leaving: 10% cris - the rumors about him are linked to the phony story about a brazilian rebellion, his ties to caçapa, and the obvious interest other big clubs have in him, but he put paid to all that with a recent statement. probability of leaving: 0% squillaci - he's new, he's great, he's happy. rien à signaler. probability of leaving: 0% réveillère - the right back spot has been the most evenly platooned this year, and fairly too, but RVR may feel the town's not big enough for both him and clerc, so there's a 50-50 chance one will leave. probability of leaving: 40% clerc - the mirror image of anto, but if push comes to shove he's the one we'll keep. probability of leaving: 10% diarra - if 7 or 8 are leaving he's clearly in the sights. he's not happy not playing, GH doesn't like his attitude, and he had other offers already last summer (inter & roma)... ciao bello! probability of leaving: 100% toulalan - won the cockfight with alou and is clearly an up and coming element for the team. super attitude, constant improvement, and no rumors about him. probability of leaving: 0% fabio santos - was never more than a january fill-in. he has ability and some talent, but his lack of tactical sense hasn't really pleased GH. probability of leaving: 50% tiago - i haven't heard anything about him leaving, and he's certainly pleased the club on all levels. i don't think a club bigger than OL would break the bank to have him either. probability of leaving: 10% källström - also becoming a solid element on the team. i think the few rumors about his leaving are due to real interest from a couple of english clubs. a big price tag (>20M€) has been seen for him and if it's met he may go, but i don't think it's for real. probability of leaving: 10% juninho - if the team is going to significantly change, he MUST stay, or it all goes bellyup... the day he leaves will be a big enough shock by itself. he's recently taken steps that suggest he and his family are here to stay, and JMA has made a strong statement about his staying. but he's an emotional man, and that could run both ways. we may have a surprise.probability of leaving: 2% malouda - his relatively poor form in 2007 could mean a lot: a) his heart's not in lyon and b) if he's not in top form the club may as well do without him. and the left side is already going to have to be partly rebuilt anyway. probability of leaving: 70% ben arfa - he's been a problem child, but has made a big effort to do better, and GH's starting him (and his scoring) against sedan may be telling. if flo goes, hatem has every reason to hope to stay and prosper. probability of leaving: 20% wiltord- is under contract to OL until the end of what he sees as the end of his career, which is nearing. his playing time has dropped but he's still one to count on in the crunch, and he can play left, right and center. any downsizing of the front line will mean that kind of flexibility is good to have. probability of leaving: 10% govou - has tried to leave every summer for the last 3 years, but has stayed. this year he's said he plans on staying in lyon until the end of his career, so he must be going. no, i'm kidding. probability of leaving: 10% fred - his output seems erratic, but when you look at it, but if he played 38 matches he'd be scoring 20 a season. he's been developing a real attitude problem on and off the field though, and GH may have had it. probability of leaving: 60% baros - if he and ged had been at daggers drawn at 'pool like we heard would he have come at all? and after scoring in every start will he be ditched after half a season? from his side, he's said he loves the city and is very happy at the club. all he wants is to play more, and it looks like he might. probability of leaving: 0% benzema - some sour remarks about not playing in the recent big matches, but if i were GH i'd be worried if he didn't gripe... he wants to play and that's good! he's a homegrown boy and still dedicated to his club. the one big question mark about him is injuries, but with potential like his, OL's not giving up on him at the ripe old age of 19! probability of leaving: 10% add it up and it's 726%... 7.26 departures.
Re: OL Transfer Thread and there will of course be arrivals. that's a lot harder to quantify but a lot juicier to dream about. so who's replacing... abidal? his replacement is already signed, nadir belhadj. the question is if he doesn't burn down the house we're stuck with berthod... diarra? maybe we'd just go two deep in the position. but my wish list would be for either yaya touré, whom we probably would have signed if djila diarra had been more up front with us this summer, or just for the sake of dreaming, pat vieira... maybe he didn't drop by gerland these months for no reason at all? malouda? here's another post where we could stand pat, since ben arfa is just chomping at the bit to get the spot; and wiltord, benzema, and belhadj can all play the position too. but if someone comes, why not ludo giuly? he's said before the idea has appeal to him, and his age just may make him available. fred? bringing in another point man could really cool benzema's jets... except this kind of reworking of the squad could bring the 4-4-2 into play... and at long last, trezeguet to lyon. does all this make sense? i see these points: 1) we need some real experienced big guns to get to the top of the CL. 2) we'll have oodles of money and 3) the big names i've mentioned are getting past their prime which means smaller transfers and often a wish to get closer to home. but of course, i don't run OL, and it's a good thing too!
Re: OL Transfer Thread Wow, I didn't think Fred would be that likely to leave. I'd like to keep him around for at least another year, unless we got 20 mill euros for him, which we won't.
Re: OL Transfer Thread In an interview with Le Progres, Tiago has mentioned the possibility of leaving. But I agree - JMA got Tiago for about 10 million Euros, and his value has only increased. But I don't see other clubs spending more than that on him. A typically underrated player, good for us though. I hope Fred doesn't leave. I wouldn't want Lyon to be fools in letting in a potentially great striker depart because of attitude problems, which can be overcome. Fred is close to becoming a starter for Brazil, and he has the best goals per minutes played ratio in the league. Plus, he seemed happy in the first part of the season. So I hope that Houllier can fix whatever is bothering Fred since January. Then again, I wouldn't want a Ronaldinho at PSG situation either.
Re: OL Transfer Thread There's a good chance that we'll sign one more left back this summer. So that if Belhadj turns out to be a big bomb, we won't have to be stuck with Berthod.
Re: OL Transfer Thread YAYA TOURE, i'm a big fan of his, and I was big in his camp last summer. I hope les monegasques will be willing to part with his services. With his addition, we'd be able to have a real rotation, not the faux-tation we had this year. Guignol, have you read anything concrete about Fred's desire to leave? That would shock me...given his injury plagued season, i'm not sure the European giants would be knocking down the door to acquire said Brazilian. As well, I don't see Lyon giving him up for less than at least his purchase price, which I believe was in the neighborhood of 12m Euros, yes? With Abidal and Diarra definitely gone, we've got some solid cash at our disposal..have any names been mentioned yet in the French press? (other than the perennial Trezytalk)
Re: OL Transfer Thread Lacombe doesn't like Yaya Touré. He supervised him during the last CAN and he said no. Sad, he's excellent at Monaco. He's not a n°6 Djilla-style but an 8 like Vieira and Essien. Some say Lyon is related with Lille for Makoun. The cost would be 9M. I think LOSC will be tougher than the journalists expect.
Re: OL Transfer Thread Rumors in the Portuguese press that Tiago himself has stated that Lyon are interested in the services of wingman Ricardo Quaresma and Pepe, who both apply their trade with FC Porto.
Re: OL Transfer Thread I know last year that when Lyon was looking to reinforce the right wing, Quaresma (along with Joaquin and Ribery) was one of the targets. But it never materialized, since Sidney Govou's transfer never took place. Lyon would be a nice fit for Quaresma, but would he want to come here? He's got a lot of bigger suitors who could probably offer him more money (Chelsea and Inter, to name a few).
Re: OL Transfer Thread I honestly could see him accepting a transfer to Lyon, especially there being such a high Portuguese speaking influence on the team. I also think Quaresma and Lyon would be a nice match.
Re: OL Transfer Thread Govou is the second highest paid Lyon player behind Juninho, and the fourth highest player in the French league. When I saw that, I was like, wtf? More than Coupet? I am afraid to get my hopes up about Quaresma. That would be too kind of JMA to actually keep his word about transfers this time. There is already Fred, Juni, Tiago, Cris, and Fabio Santos (Cacapa is leaving). If you add Quaresma and Pepe to that...maybe Lyon will officially adopt Portuguese as its second language.