OL coach between 2005 and 2007, double champion of France with Lyon in 2006 and 2007, Gérard Houllier died on Monday. He was notably at the head of the great Lyon team. Since 2016, he was OL’s external advisor and still very influential with Jean-Michel Aulas. The Lyon president is very touched by his disappearance. In the Rhône, it leaves a real mark. He often had bickering with Bernard Lacombe, the influential adviser to President Aulas. The two men have often slashed. This Monday, Lacombe, historic OL, pays tribute to the former coach of the Blues.
What is your feeling after the death of Gérard Houllier?
BERNARD LACOMBE. I had President Aulas this Monday. He is very touched. Everyone at the club is very touched. He is a man who made OL shine.
What memories do you keep of him?
He is a person who marked the club. He has been champion twice in a row with OL. Flying over the championship. What impressed me most about Gérard was a man of immense intelligence. So, yes, it’s true, we sometimes had a little complicated exchanges, I sometimes had not very nice sentences towards him, but he will remain a great character for me.
What was the Houllier leg in Lyon?
We can say it, he marked the history of the club. When he arrived in 2005, we had already been champions four times. But Gérard has further improved this team. He brought his touch. He had his paw on his team. He also played on his notoriety, his experience in Liverpool. He brought new things, good things. Besides, he liked the game. He talked about it all the time. We both had exchanges, a lot of exchanges. Sometimes we didn’t agree. Everybody knows it. But we respected each other.
With Houllier as a coach, was it the biggest team in Lyon?
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He had a great team, great players. OL were frightening and respected everywhere in Europe. We used to say at the time that Gérard was the driver of a Formula 1. You still have to drive it. He drove very well …
Article original de: www.leparisien.fr
