Weekend Tidbits

By: Inara | July 6th, 2007

* Lyon’s new kits will be revealed this upcoming Monday. The home kit isn’t going to change, just the away and Europe kits. Here’s a sneak peek:

I adore Umbro. But that gold away kit is not that great. At least the white background to the sponsor is gone. As for the black CL kit, it now looks like the home kit (which hasn’t changed), except the blue and red band ends at the sponsor logo, which seems kind of pointless to me. And Jean-mimi, if you’re reading this, can you please fix the sponsor thing?

* Fabio Grosso speaks French!!! So no worries about a massive communication failure at the back. Also, this fascinating article in Le Progres explains just why Grosso came to France without any of the usual dramas surrounding Lyon.

This transfer was possible because of the friendly relations between Inter Milan and Olympic Lyonnais. The two clubs met in the UEFA Cup in 1997 and 2003, and Inter president Moratti knew to weave very close ties to the institution of Jean-Michel Aulas. Inter Milan also preferred Lyon rather than reinforcing a domestic rival.

* Alain Perrin is going to reveal who his captain will be. According to an interview, Juninho doesn’t want to be captain next season (could it have something to do with this?). Perrin doesn’t want to appoint Gregory Coupet because he prefers a field player, Sidney Govou could be one if he “could gain in times of play,” and Jeremy Toulalan if he were more charismatic.

Cris, Sebastian Squillaci, and Patrick Muller are possibilities. I don’t think it will be Squillaci because he’s only been at Lyon for a year, and Muller will be on the bench most of the time, though he is a former OL captain. Cris seems like the most obvious choice, but he’s hardly a good example when it comes to being rational and calm. So the captain just might be Juninho again, whether he likes it or not.

* Jeremy Berthod is officially an AS Monaco player. Lyon will receive €2.5m for his sale, and Berthod will sign a four year contract, in which he was promised that he would be a starter.

I have mixed feelings on Berthod’s departure. He’s been at Lyon for 13 years, a graduate of the youth academy and then patiently working his way up the ranks. He broke into the first team in 2003 under Paul Le Guen and started 28 matches that year and played a total of 32. The following year (when Abidal arrived), his playing time did cut back slightly but was still a good amount, at 27 games. His achievements were noted, and already a champion with the U-17 team, Berthod was made captain of Frances U-21’s (Les Espoirs).

But then Houllier arrived, and Berthod finished the season with only 16 games. This past year was even worse, as he started only 11 games.

Berthod stayed through all this because he knew that Abidal wasn’t planning to stay very long, and because unlike many of Lyon’s mercenary players, he actually loved his club. And I think he would have stayed next year too if Houllier hadn’t bought Nadir Belhadj to be the obvious replacement for Abidal. Even then, he just considered a move away, but when Lyon started looking long and hard at Sylvain Armand and Fabio Grosso, Berthod realized that the club of his heart no longer trusted him.

On one hand, I am in Aulas’s camp, and since Berthod was arguably one of the worst players on the roster, he should go. But…what troubles me is that Berthod does have talent, and it’s his lack of playing time that has caused him to be so rusty. No one can come off the bench, where he’s been sitting for three months, and play a perfect game.

berthod1

I have a sinking suspicion that Lyon will regret selling him to Monaco in a few years.

He was a classy player, never complained about his diminished field time, was always cheerful in the locker rooms and could be relied upon for his good humor, was one of the first players to take new recruits under his wing, and never wished Houllier ill, despite the fact that his teammates did.

Berthod deserved a better sending off. I will miss him.