Busy and potentially electric week in the Girondins. Since Monday, Paul Baysse and Mehdi Zerkane no longer train with the professional group. By joint decision of President Gérard Lopez, Technical Director Admar Lopes and the coach, they were invited to join the reserve. This could soon be the case of Samuel Kalu and, according to “The Team”, of captain Laurent Koscielny, Josh Maja and Otavio.
It would not be the first time that players have undergone such treatment at Haillan. In the summer of 2019, Paulo Sousa had decided to dismiss Paul Baysse (already), Younousse …
Busy and potentially electric week in the Girondins. Since Monday, Paul Baysse and Mehdi Zerkane no longer train with the professional group. By joint decision of President Gérard Lopez, Technical Director Admar Lopes and the coach, they were invited to join the reserve. This could soon be the case of Samuel Kalu and, according to “The Team”, of captain Laurent Koscielny, Josh Maja and Otavio.
It would not be the first time that players have undergone such treatment at Haillan. In the summer of 2019, Paulo Sousa decided to dismiss Paul Baysse (already), Younousse Sankharé, Jonathan Cafù, Alexandre Mendy, Valentin Vada, Daniel Mancini and Thomas Carrique. “These are not players that we want in the workforce, in terms of capabilities, involvement, personality”, had justified the Portuguese coach.
“Put in the cellar”
The UNFP, the players’ union, then spoke of a “cellaring” and reminded Bordeaux of its obligations: “The leaders went so far as to assert to certain players that these shelters would continue after the August 31. Date on which according to Article 507 of the Charter, they are nevertheless obliged to reintegrate them into the first professional group or to create a second professional group of a minimum of ten players. “
Moreover, Vada and Mancini had left the club, Baysse, Cafu and Carrique had ended up returning to the pro group. Only Sankharé had been laid off, Bordeaux blaming him for a lack of professionalism as well as having missed several training sessions. He was finally released from his contract in November.
The conditions for creating a loft
The situation is not quite the same this time, because in its charter, the UNFP distinguishes the period from July 1 to August 31 (summer transfer window) and that from September 1 to June 30. In the second case, that of the Girondins, it is specified: “In the event that a second training group is formed, it must be made up of a minimum of 10 players under professional, elite or trainee contract”.
Several other conditions are listed: the players concerned must have access to changing rooms, medical care and a training center “possibly different but of identical quality”, to “equipment provided for all professional players”, to training in schedules “compatible with the other preparation and training conditions of the main group” and be “supervised by a coach holding a federal diploma under the supervision of the coach of the club holding the BEPF or the BEFF”.
The UNFP also specifies that placement in a second training group “must be carried out on a temporary basis for exclusively sporting reasons linked to the management of the workforce” and “must in no case be prolonged on a regular basis, permanent and definitive akin to a withdrawal of the player ”. In the event of a dispute, the legal commission of the LFP may be referred to. It should be noted that Paul Baysse is part … of the UNFP steering committee.
Players under pressure
What are these “lofts” for? It is less a question of sanctioning behavioral problems than of reducing the number of players under contract. “We realize that the second group is a group of people left behind. In this way, we will put pressure on them to accept a transfer or termination of their contract under conditions which are not favorable to them, ”replied Jean-Jacques Bertrand, lawyer specializing in sports law, to So Football in 2019.
The Girondins also want to reduce their payroll. The French central defender, who has two optional years from this summer if he wishes, is particularly well off and has no interest in sitting down on his contract (like Paul Baysse, bound until 2024 but with a salary without any common measure). Likewise, Otavio has already signed a pre-contract with Atlético Mineiro from next July. The situation is perhaps less comfortable for Maja and Kalu who, at 23, still have many years ahead of them.
Beyond training, remains the question of matches. “A player who is in a second group, but never participates in a friendly with a large number of changes or in the camps, we put him in difficulty, we do not allow him to be in physical condition if he has to leave or be reinstated, ”continues Jean-Jacques Bertrand.
Vladimir Petkovic’s press conference on Friday, before the trip to Rennes on Sunday (1 p.m.), and the group selected for this match should say more about the intentions of the coach and the club about the players concerned.