Delima Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 The Guardian What do you reckon? Lyon plump for Perrin After a fine season with Sochaux, 50-year-old is handed the biggest challenge of his career Paul Doyle Wednesday May 30, 2007 Guardian Unlimited Alain Perrin's renaissance is complete. Nineteen months after being sacked by Portsmouth - his third dismissal in less than two years - the 50-year-old will today be unveiled as the new manager of Lyon. The club has called a press conference for this afternoon, at which they are expected to confirm that they have agreed a two-year contract with Perrin. Lyon, who last week celebrated winning a record sixth successive French title, were seeking a new boss following Gérard Houllier's decision to step down last week. Despite winning the league in each of his two seasons at the helm, Houllier had fallen out with some of the club's hierarchy, notably Bernard Lacombe, the right-hand man of chairman Jean-Michel Aulas. Aulas is believed to have interviewed at least three candidates to replace Houllier, including Didier Deschamps, who last week resigned from Juventus and was widely considered as the favourite to take charge at Gerland in view of his experience of leading a French club to the Champions League final (Monaco in 2004). But Deschamps left both of his previous clubs - Juventus and Monaco - because of disputes with upper management and Aulas may have feared a repeat. Perrin may not be able to boast of European succcess, but he is considered easier to get on with and demanded to bring just one new staff member, his assistant Christopher Galtier. Despite these merits, the decision to plump for Perrin is still somewhat surprising, even though it was known for the last three days that Lyon were negotiating compensation with Sochaux, where Perrin still had one year left on his contract. Because managing mighty Lyon is a completely different proposition to managing modest Sochaux. Perrin was hailed as a hero after Sochaux won the Coupe de France this year for the first time since 1937. Thanks to that triumph they will be in the Uefa Cup next season, a feat they would not have managed through the league, though their seventh-place finish was respectable. Lyon, however, have much higher ambitions: not only will Perrin be expected to sustain the club's domestic dominance but, most of all, he must deliver the Champions League glory for which Aulas yearns. In his favour, Perrin has experience not just of working miracles at small clubs (he made his name by guiding Troyes from non-league football to the top flight in nine years) but also of handling one of France's top sides, having had a spell at Marseille. He excelled in his first year at the Vélodrome, steering the side to Champions League qualification in 2003. However he was sacked the following January after his disciplinarian methods alienated some of the club's more precious stars, a complaint that would later be levelled at him at Fratton Park too. Though Aulas is an admirer of such methods, many of Lyon's players are not, and that was one of the reasons for which several of them had a tetchy relationship with Houllier. Perrin will find Lyon in a state of uncharacteristic flux. For so long a model of stability, the side has this season been sapped by dressing room rifts that were exacerbated by failure in the Champions League, from which they were eliminated in the last 16 by Roma. Several of the club's stalwarts are expected to move on this summer - not just ageing stars such as Sylvain Wiltord and Claudio Caçapa, but also dynamic French internationals Florent Malouda and Eric Abidal. Goalkeeper Grégory Coupet may also leave if his long-rumbling contract dispute isn't settled. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robster Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Lyon Perrin..... Dont they make Worcester Sauce ?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gggg Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Forced out of portsmouth by player power and a tight chairman tbh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Lyon Perrin..... Dont they make Worcester Sauce ?? Very good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparks Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Most people on here could manage Lyon to the championship. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delima Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 I think you are a bit arrogant here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ridzuan Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Perrin managin Lyon?? I would have never expected that to happen.But who knows,maybe he is a changed man and he could continue the success at the club. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robster Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Wasnt his biggest problem at Portsmouth trying to give a team talk when about 10 different languages were spoken in the dressing room thanks to Harry's original signings ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Forced out of portsmouth by player power and a tight chairman tbh and the fact that in terms of goals and points he was one of the worst managers the premiership has ever seen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gggg Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Forced out of portsmouth by player power and a tight chairman tbh and the fact that in terms of goals and points he was one of the worst managers the premiership has ever seen So presumably they were in last cut adrift with no hope? well no, they were 17th. I love this Harry "Houdini" Redknapp legend built up by the media he moved them up one place. By the way Sunderland were in the league last year and Perrin nearly got more points than they did all season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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