A slap in the face to Aulas, a slap in the face to Lolo White, John Textor does not go overboard when he chooses to express himself in the media. Indeed, after accusing JMA of having soaped the board and withheld certain information when the club’s sale was finalized last December, resulting in the DNCG’s decision to regulate the club’s payroll, the owner American from OL also wanted to send a message to the coach. All this, just a few days before hosting Paris Saint-Germain at Groupama Stadium (Sunday evening). Ideally enough to prepare for this shock against the reigning French Champions.
“Is he threatened? It’s pretty hard to say that. I would say yes and no. All coaches are always threatened because we need results. For us, it is not acceptable to end the season in the middle of the table. I have already said that the goal was the Champions League otherwise it would be a failure,” said John Textor on Tuesday during a videoconference with some media.
Textor sounds the end of recess
The American businessman was annoyed by the media outings of Laurent Blanc, who on several occasions, in front of journalists, suggested a change of coach so that the sporting situation improves. “It’s not that he challenges me but he organizes his defense a bit,” Textor said. “I asked him to stop playing these games with the media or telling jokes that ultimately cause controversy. This is the coach’s time to do his coaching job. I ask him to moderate his relationship with the press and to ensure that it is his work that speaks for him”, he pleaded, recalling that Laurent Blanc “had worked well last season”.
“We are looking for the solution today within our current management. Maybe one day we’ll look for her outside. It’s not me who brings up the possibility of firing him (Laurent Blanc) in the media. Me, I have very good relations with him, he is someone with whom it is easy to exchange. He takes his responsibilities to heart and his work seriously for the success we need. In fact, I think that the press is overplaying this challenge”, however underlined the leader.
Arrived at the beginning of October 2022 to replace the Dutchman Peter Bosz, Blanc had partially rectified the sporting situation after the World Cup by allowing OL to rank 3rd in the return phase but without however managing to win European qualification with a 7th place. final.
End of transfer window, miracle cure?
Despite the measures to control the wage bill and transfer allowances imposed by the DNCG, the management control body for French football clubs, Textor assures that the Lyon team “will be stronger at the end of the transfer window than ‘it was on 31 May last’. On this, we are not necessarily obliged to believe it. “It is true that the summer, of transition, was difficult but the DNCG is not on the ground. I think we have better players than the teams we have faced so far. We have to leave the extra-sporting problems, stop talking, start playing and working. The solution is in the locker room and not elsewhere, ”insisted John Textor, who is counting on the last hours of the transfer window to effectively strengthen his team.
And in particular to recruit the defensive half so desired since his arrival by Laurent Blanc, who has repeatedly expressed regrets about OL’s limited room for maneuver. “Our appetite is greater than the constraints of the DNCG. This number six position is the priority. We are looking for a very physical defensive and technical player. It is a challenge to find this profile and the cost will probably be closer to 20 million euros than 6 or 8 million euros. We are looking for a solution based on budgetary constraints”, admitted the president of OL, who therefore seems ready to offer his coach the player he wants.