In recent weeks, French football has shown a sad spectacle of divisions. All the hatred and bitterness, sometimes buried, came out during this coronavirus health crisis. “The confrontation of the two camps (Editor's note: between the supporters of a recovery and a stop) was violent. It will still be in the coming days, ”explains a president.
And it did not drag on ... A new collision broke out this Tuesday evening during an extraordinary board of directors of the LFP, between Jean-Michel Aulas and Jacques-Henri Eyraud. This pass of arms between the presidents of Lyon and OM, who hate each other, seems revealing of the tensions which animate the broken family of the presidents of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, reinforced by the presence of two unions.
But, in the end, it was a silent majority, represented by the presidents of the “small” clubs, who were rather favorable to a definitive end to the season, who won. An option that was also considered by Noël Le Graët. While the professional clubs were draining, the president of the FFF often imposed his voice in this ambient cacophony.
The president sets the tempo
At an LFP office three weeks ago, he wanted to whistle the end of recess by blasting the divisions. A fine strategist and unparalleled political animal, Le Graët, ex-president and mayor of Guingamp, comes out even stronger from this crisis ... at 78 years old. Faced with him and the FFF, the professional world and the LFP can only see their weaknesses.
After the speech of Edouard Philippe and while a vagueness still reigned on the continuation, it is Le Graët which gave the tempo. While the discussions were lively and dragged on for the LFP, he himself announced the end of the Championships in Ligue 1, Ligue 2, National and D1 Women. With a head start, therefore ... In an interview with Le Télégramme, he even outlined some methods such as maintaining two descents in L1 (Amiens, Toulouse) and two climbs of L2 (Lens, Lorient).
The League faced with a fait accompli
"The comex of the FFF invites the LFP to inform it as soon as possible of the sports consequences it intends to draw from the situation to close the L1 and L2 championships and set up a resumption of activities project for the 2020-2021 season in light of the details that the government will provide in the coming days. The FFF will be particularly attentive to sports equity and the economic viability of the directions that will be recommended, "he said in a press release.
Clearly, the LFP finds itself almost faced with a fait accompli with a limited scope and decision-making power. The pro clubs will meet a board of directors this Thursday. He should endorse this season's stop and then call a general meeting of the LFP.
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In the event of the resumption of the new season in August, Noël Le Graët also thinks of his interests. He hopes to start with the final of the Coupe de France between PSG and Saint-Etienne, before that of the Coupe de la Ligue, then the kick-off of the L1 and L2 championships.
