In an article written by one of L’Équipe’s most reliable journalists Joel Domenighetti, he explained how Lille have held discussions with two managers, Éric Gerets and Herve Renard, about possibly taking the LOSC job in the event that current boss René Girard is sacked.
Lille sent representatives to the UAE to meet Gerets who is currently in charge at Al -Jazira. He is thought to have impressed Lille, notably one of the club’s new shareholders and compatriot Marc Coucke. Even if the latter individual isn’t in the majority owner at the club, Michel Seydoux is, but Coucke’s opinion counts.
Initial approaches have also been made via telephone to speak to Frenchman and Ivory Coast manager Herve Renard. Renard would like to return to club management as soon as possible.
So is René Girard about to quit the club? Michel Seydoux still has his doubts, despite other members of the Lille board wanting his head.
There is also a problem with transfer policy. The manager wants to sign a striker, a player with considerable experience, but the club would prefer to sign young players in order to sell them on for profit in the future. Domenighetti points to the signing of Sofiane Boufal as a win for the board rather than the manager.
