Olympique Lyonnais manager Laurent Blanc struck a different tone during Friday’s press conference. Having sounded fatalist about his future as manager of Les Gones over the weekend, he said he is ready to fight for his job.
Lyon have had a difficult start to the campaign. Blanc’s side lost to RC Strasbourg Alsace on the opening day, before succumbing to a heavy 4-1 defeat at home to Montpellier HSC last weekend. Naturally, Blanc is coming under fire, and doubts surrounding his position in the dugout at the Groupama Stadium were circulating even before the season started.
Last weekend, speaking to Amazon Prime Video Sport in a post-match interview, Blanc seemed to accept that he may lose his job.“You have to change the manager,” Blanc told a shocked interviewer.
He was then asked if he wanted to leave Lyon, to which he responded, “No, but you’re asking me what has to be done, and I’m saying you might have to change the manager.”
However, speaking ahead of Les Gones’ Ligue 1 match against OGC Nice on Sunday, Blanc struck a much different tone. In a press conference, transcribed by L’Équipe, the Frenchman said, “I am very combative. I’m a whinger, a pain, but I’m a fighter. Many managers have recently rung me to tell me to be. I’m not putting pressure on myself, but we have decided on certain things and I’m trying to ensure they come off.”
Blanc once again took the opportunity to highlight the effect of the DNCG’s ruling on Lyon’s transfer window. “It has had a negative impact on OL’s recruitment,” he said.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
