2023-05-09 20:21:05
For John Textor, there is no doubt: Laurent Blanc is the right coach for Olympique Lyonnais. “We will keep and support Laurent Blanc. The team has been working quite well for fifteen games. We must give the coach the necessary tools” to succeed with “a new team”, declared the American businessman for his first press conference since the announcement on Tuesday of his takeover at OL after 36 years of presidency of Jean-Michel Aulas.
“You have to add quality and experience,” he insisted. The coach made (this winter) requests (from players) which were not met, but he got results. I support the coach. Full stop”. On Monday, OL Groupe announced to everyone’s surprise the appointment of John Textor – who bought the Rhone club last December – as CEO, replacing Jean-Michel Aulas, head of OL since 1987 and who was to initially staying there until at least 2025.
Asked about this early departure, Mr. Textor denied the “rumors and over-interpretations” reporting tensions with the historic president of the club, while specifying that he wanted to take a new direction. “We won’t be better if we don’t do something different,” he insisted. Jean-Michel believes in what we are doing for the club,” he added.
Aulas, 74, will remain on the board of directors as honorary president. He should receive compensation of ten million euros for his premature departure and keep his shares (about 9% of the capital through his family holding company, Holnest). “Jean-Michel will be more present than me around the club”, concluded Textor, at the head of Eagle Football, an entity bringing together the clubs of Crystal Palace (England), Botafogo (Brazil) and Molenbeek (Belgian D2).
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