Why No One Wants to Come to Lyon

By: Inara | May 11th, 2007

Most football fans live in a constant state of delusion when it comes to their team. It’s why many clubs still have fans despite constant under performance.

I love my delusions as much as anybody else, but it’s time for some honesty.

euros And the truth is, despite having quite a bit of money to spend…Lyon doesn’t attract quality players from abroad. I’m not even talking about the Ronaldinho and Henry types. I’m talking about the second tier “stars” like Alberto Gilardino, Louis Saha, and Nani.

I understand that Lyon can’t compete with Real, Barca, Milan. Fine. I can take that.

But what’s sad is when players prefer the likes of Sevilla, Atletico, Tottenham, Roma, etc., over Lyon.

And when these players are linked with the club, they deny any contact within 24 hours, as if they’re too embarrassed to be associated with Juninho & Co.

WHY???

Last time I checked, Lyon was in Ligue 1, one of the top five European leagues, not in the Juliper league, or God forbid, the MLS. So why do people treat Lyon as a step down?

Let’s take a look at the club’s past signings.

Not counting transfers from Brazilian and smaller French teams, only a few members of Lyon’s squad come from foreign championships. Sylvain Wiltord (Arsenal), Tiago (Chelsea), and Milan Baros (Aston Villa) were EPL rejects who had no place to go. They are all quality fringe players who had to leave for various reasons. It’s not like Lyon was their first choice.

And this summer won’t be any different. Despite all the names Lyon have been linked with in recent weeks, their most likely foreign transfer target is Roy Makaay, the 32 year old Bayern Munich striker who is in the outs with his club - another reject. A class player, but an unwanted one.

When was the last time a player from a top club wanted to come to Lyon? The only one I can think of is Mauro Camoranesi, who didn’t want to be in Serie B last summer with Juventus and was desperate to play in the Champions League. But that’s it.

Are there any players out there whose dream it is to play for Lyon - and not just as a stepping stone to Real Madrid? I don’t mean to sound cynical, but I imagine the number is quite low. Remember last summer when Franck Ribery threw a hissy fit about how it was his dream to play for Lyon? A year later, and now Lyon is too small for him.

What’s even worse is that Lyon can’t hang onto their own stars. Even if they could match salaries, I doubt the players would stay since the days of good old fashioned devotion are over. I’m not Francesco Totti’s biggest fan, but even I can’t help admire the way he’s sticking with Roma despite having the biggest clubs offering him more money and yearly Champions League play.

It just wasn’t enough for Diarra.

The simple fact of the matter is that Lyon doesn’t inspire lifelong loyalty. The only person who really wanted to end his career at Lyon (Claudio Cacapa) was pushed out of the club by Gerard Houllier. And there is Sidney Govou, who has no other place to go…

Michael Essien and Mahamadou Diarra were nothings until Lyon nourished their talents, and after their ambitions outgrew their britches, they left for better pastures in an cruel manner, refusing to come to training until the club agreed to sell them. Tiago didn’t shine until he came to France, but now that he’s under the radar of Juventus, Barcelona, and Milan, he wants to leave for something better. Malouda wants to go to a bigger club. Abidal has had enough of playing in the minor leagues. Juninho doesn’t feel his ambitions are being fulfilled. Even Coupet said he wouldn’t mind leaving.

Because Lyon isn’t good enough for them anymore.

And that hurts.

What previously was known as a quiet and calm club has become very dramatic with all the players publicly mouthing their discontent at being in Lyon, as if they are being held prisoner at the Stade de Gerland.

All the players that Lyon want to keep are asking for transfers whereas the players that the club want to see leaving (I’m looking at you, Sidney) ardently wish to remain…

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Ligue 1 used to have some fabulous teams. Marseille, PSG, Bordeaux, St. Etienne were once giants. When Aulas took over Division 2 Lyon twenty years ago, French football was at its finest. No one could have foreseen that the clubs would eventually implode and vanish into mid-table mediocrity.

The clubs in Ligue 1 are still good - Lyon’s wins are never easy, even the ones against the relegation teams. But at the end of the day, no single club is consistent enough to keep up with Lyon, something more glaring when you realize that there has been a different second place finisher for the past six years.

But what is Lyon supposed to do? Should Aulas take over the management of the other 19 teams in Ligue 1? Is Lyon going to be punished in terms of respect and players because their competitors don’t know how to compete?

The other teams need to step up. For purely selfish reasons, they need to give Lyon competition in order to bring more respect to the league. They need to fight for their place in Europe. They can’t just ride on the coattails of Lyon’s half-successes and then complain about it later.

The French public need to stop favoring magnificent losers and start encouraging pitiless winners.

They owe it to French football, dammit.

/end rant

I’m sure I’ll feel better after a good night of sleep and be more cheerful in tomorrow’s post.