Le Guen handed reins at Lyon
Tuesday, May 21, 2002
Article summary
Paul Le Guen has signed a two-year contract as coach of Olympique Lyonnais.
Article body
Former French international Paul Le Guen has signed a two-year contract with an option of a third season to replace Jacques Santini as coach of Olympique Lyonnais, the recently crowned French champions.
Dramatic title success
Santini relinquished the position to become the club's technical director in the wake of Lyon's dramatic final day clinching of Le Championnat at the expense of RC Lens. Santini is now in charge of transfers, contract negotiations and the selection of coaches, which he has wasted no time doing.
Leading contender
The appointment of the 38-year-old Le Guen - whose last venture into coaching ended with the sack from Stade Rennais during the 2000/01 season - represents something of a surprise with Vahid Halilhodzic, the former Lille OSC coach, thought to be the leading contender to fill the void created by Santini's move upstairs.
Champions League hopes
Talks with Halihodzic collapsed at the weekend, however, and Jean-Michel Aulas, the Lyon president, today revealed Le Guen has been charged with leading the club as they seek to defend their maiden French title and succeed in the UEFA Champions League after they were eliminated from European football's blue-riband competition at the first group stage last term.
Much-decorated player
The task is a formidable one for Le Guen, a former defensive midfield player who won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with Paris Saint-Germain FC in 1996. He also lifted the French title with the Parisian giants in 1994 in addition to French Cup successes in 1993, 1995 and 1998 - the year he retired from playing after registering 450 top-flight games in his homeland and 17 caps for France.
Great start
Le Guen's first foray into coaching took him to Rennes in 1999, a season in which he steered the club to fifth place in the French first division. Expectation was soon heightened at the Route de Lorient stadium and Le Guen paid the price for not delivering the title in 2001. Yves Colleu, Le Guen's assistant coach at Rennes, will fulfil the same role at Lyon.
