“My plan, honestly, is to spend a minimum of five years here. »In September 2020, during a interview on RMC Sport, one season after his return to Lyon as sporting director, Juninho had affirmed his desire to join the long term with OL. But the Brazilian, who was on a CDI as a DS at the club, came back to it brutally on Wednesday night, still on RMC Sport. “Normally, it’s over at the end of the season,” he said, in an announcement that looked like a real thunderclap at the head of the Lyon club, four days from a hot shock against the OM. 20 minutes looks at the multiple (and all negative) consequences that this unexpected announcement could have in the coming weeks.
🎙 Juninho in Rothen ignites: “I hope to finish the season. And at the end of the season, normally it’s over. I want to rest a little. Training? It stays in my head. loves football, the field, training, tactics … ” #rmclive pic.twitter.com/XtEK2axlzk
– Rothen ignites (@Rothensenflamme) November 17, 2021
Short-term sporting risks for the club?
The timing of one of Juninho’s rare long media outings since his arrival at OL in May 2019 could hardly have been more ill-chosen. Deprived of the Champions League for two years, his club (7th) is again in difficulty in the league (19 points out of 39 possible), and will experience a turning point in his season, Sunday (8:45 p.m.) at Parc OL, against OM (4th), a direct competitor on the podium.
Just after an absolute rout in Rennes (4-1) and at the end of the international break, his statements on his personal future, so far from the end of the season, will clearly not bring the serenity that Peter Bosz would have needed and his group. When a coach schedules his departure six months before the end of the season, it is rare that good results follow. The equation could hardly be more favorable in the case of such a valued and essential sports director, both in the eyes of his president and many players in the squad.
Lucas Paqueta and Bruno Guimaraes, early departures?
Without Juninho, it is obvious that Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta would not have signed for OL. They are clearly the best recruits and active members of Lyon since the arrival of “Juni” at the club, and the cost incurred (20 M € each) makes us smile today in view of their size taken for several months and their Brazilian international status. If these two technical leaders adored by supporters, respectively under contract until 2024 and 2025, have never yet expressed their desires elsewhere, the probable departure of Juninho could be a game-changer.
The latter said Wednesday on RMC that Lucas Paqueta, for whom Rudi Garcia was “not excited” at the time of his arrival, had made “a fairly significant economic effort”, compared to his salary at AC Milan, for sign in Lyon. “Juninho gives me his support, his tenderness, his confidence, confided the Lyon maestro, last week at a press conference of the Seleçao. I don’t have the words to say how important he was to me. “Without their” dad “at the club, will the romance between Guimaraes, Paqueta and OL still be as passionate beyond next summer? Nothing is less sure.
We note that it is impossible to settle in the sporting direction of this club?
On May 28, 2019, during the press conference for the joint arrival at OL of Juninho and Sylvinho (you forgot it, eh?), Jean-Michel Aulas quickly assured: “” Juni “has all the sports powers ”. In fact, four months later, the replacement of Sylvinho by Rudi Garcia recognized that this was not really the case, and that it probably never would be. Juninho had to collaborate for a season with Florian Maurice, accustomed until then to a role of recruiting manager ++ close to a DS status, as well as with JMA advisor Gérard Houllier (died on December 14, 2020).
He also assisted last year in the promotion of Vincent Ponsot (former deputy general manager in charge of human resources, legal and sports administration) as general manager of football, the real number 2 of the club behind JMA, and therefore ahead “Juni”. When the Brazilian specifies Wednesday: “There is enormous mental fatigue and I do not want to exceed the limit”, we can assume that the organization chart as Jean-Michel Aulas conceived it has an impact on his “desire to be rest “. Historically, in the 34 years of the Aulas era, never has a sports director had a freedom of action comparable to that of a Pablo Longoria at OM (before becoming president). What seriously curb the potential renowned candidates for the succession of “Juni”, no?
Recruitment completely at a standstill in the coming months?
Juninho assured him on Wednesday, OL are looking for “a corridor striker” for the next winter transfer window, while the CAN (from January 9 to February 6) will concern three offensive players: Karl Toko Ekambi, Islam Slimani and Tino Kadewere. Priority targeted from the summer, the versatile attacker of Zénith Sardar Azmoun (26 years old, free next June) is still on the shelves.
“We like Peter and I a lot,” says Juninho. We will of course try to get him to come. But here too, we doubt that the recruitment can be structured as well as possible for next season when:
– Since this summer, there is no longer really a director of the recruitment unit, since Bruno Cheyou, appointed in 2020 after the departure of Florian Maurice in Rennes, became technical advisor in charge of women’s football at OL
– Emblematic recruiter of OL for more than 20 years, Patrice Girard has just resigned in order to join Angers, further depopulating an already poorly supplied recruitment unit for a club of the standing of Lyon
– The sports director almost submits his resignation live on the radio six months from the end of the season
We wish good luck to Jean-Michel Aulas and Vincent Ponsot, who have not yet responded to the media release of Juninho, in an attempt to respond successfully to so many uncertainties in the coming months.