Yipee ! To start with this first post of 2011 let me wish you all a brilliant, fun, prosperous, healthy, sparkling and footballistic new year. Champagne!
(Just make sure to spare a bottle in the fridge to celebrate when we win our 8th championship title at the end of the season). Ahem.
So, while most of us try to fight the weight put on during the winter holidays and add to our list of resolutions for the new year (or the other way round), what are the players doing?
Well, they had just enough time to feast and celebrate before boarding on Sunday morning a plane to Morocco. Clearly trying to replicate the successful trip to Tunisia at the same period last year, with all the very beneficial effects it had on the rest of the season, the club decided to take a 25-strong group of players (most of the pros) to a similar training camp in the same region. Mild weather, nice resort allowing for good training conditions, softer physical training (due to a lighter January program this year) discussions, fun, let’s hope the effects will be as positive as last year. Two milestones : a friendly game today with local Marrakech club Kawbab, in a brand new 43.000 seats stadium; and the departure on Friday, a flight to Caen where they will play on Saturday their 1/32d final game of the Coupe de France.
Now here are the main other news about the club
- TRANSFERS : There isn’t much to expect from OL on that side, or at least that’s what the club representatives say. Puel says he’s happy with the group he has, and that no one will join the group this winter; according to him, the reinforcements will come from the return at their true level of Toulalan, Cris, Gourcuff, Ederson : “Many clubs would love getting them in the winter transfer period”, he said.
But as usual in this period, even when there’s nothing happening, there’s always a horde of media to pretend that plenty of undercover negotiations are taking place. So here’s a quick overview of what’s being said about the club:
Actual info:
- Anthony Réveillère renewed his contract… at last. Arrived in Lyon in 2003, and undoubtedly one of the most solid Lyonnais this season -which earned him a spot in the French NT- the 31 y.o. international right back would have been free in June otherwise. He is now tied with the club until June 2013.
- former possible OL target at CB, Lille’s Adil Rami signed for Valencia but stays at Lille on loan until the end of the season. The LOSC is reportedly getting 5-6 million out of this deal.
Rumours and hearsay:
-Aston Villa, FC Seville and Fenerbahce are reportedly after Makoun. Puel acknowledged several clubs inquired about him, but none of the approaches so far seem to satisfy OL who, depending on the source, are said to require from 7 to 10 million Euro to consider such a move.
- Unlike for Réveillère, OL are hesitating to extend Cesar Delgado’s contract which also expires in June. As much as I appreciate Delgado he seems so injury prone that with Briand now the club’s hesitations are understandable, all the more as he occupies a foreign spot. Says Puel : “He first needs to show he can be back at his best level, then we can discuss about an extension”
- Manchester United possibly about to launch a 23 million bid for Lloris. Anyway, Hugo said that he was focusing on ending the season with OL and winning the title. “I don’t have specific questions about my future. There is a moment for thinking about ourselves and a moment for thinking about the group. My personal case comes after all this. ”
- Real Madrid’s CB Ezequiel Garay is looking for playing time and his agent said that PSG, OM or OL would be ideal destinations for his client in the form of a loan deal.
- Lyon has been linked to Christopher Samba of Blackburn for an estimated 7 million, to Corchia of Le Mans, to Lukaku of Anderlecht, and many others.. Feel free to post whatever rumours you read or heard in the Comments section.
And as always before a game, be it Kawbab or Mourinho’s Real : Allez les Lyonnais !