Month: September 2024

England wing Anthony Watson has revealed that he visualised the try he scored against Wales in the build-up to his Six Nations return in Cardiff.

Watson, who made his first start for the Red Rose in two years last weekend after a string of injuries, scored in the 19th minute of England’s away victory.

And the wing has explained that he remarkably envisioned his comeback score during one of the 20-minute meditation-like sessions that he regularly does.

Long journey back for Watson

“I was pretty nervous before the game. It felt like a long journey back – almost felt like a first cap,” Watson said as he recalled the 20-10 win over Wales.

“I don’t really judge my quality of games by tries, but to be able to score in the corner was nice and something I had spent a lot of the week visualising.

“It’s weird how it happened exactly how I had pictured it. It was literally in that corner because I was playing on the left wing, and it was finishing with the ball in my right hand in that kind of style.

“The power of visualisation is so important, I have scored tries when it has ended up exactly how I had it in my head.”

🚀Anthony Watson in the corner! #WALvENG

Great to see the flyer back in the England jersey and on the scoreboard. 🔥 #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/YR4b24TAC8

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) February 25, 2023

He added: “Visualisation is how I try to calm myself down before games. I go into lot of detail with it, it depends on what comes into my head at the time.

“It starts off with just what it would look like from a bird’s eye view and then what it would feel like for me.

“It puts me in good stead for what lies ahead and calms me. Those periods of visualisation are the only time I think about the game. I do it on my own and if you saw me doing it you would probably think I look crazy!

“It’s a common thing to do now. There’s greater respect for the power of mental techniques to prepare for games. Everyone is different, it will be useful for some people and completely useless for others.

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“I find it really helpful in terms of blocking out periods to think about the game, and that allows me to be chilled out and do whatever I want to do outside of that.”

Ayrton Senna’s former coach

The Leicester wing is working with Don Macpherson, and among the renowned mind coach’s former clients was Brazilian Formula One great Ayrton Senna.

“Don said that Ayrton Senna’s mind was in the corner ahead while his body was on the current corner,” Watson said as England prepares for their next Six Nations clash, against France on March 11.

“That was something that resonated with me about trying to be one step ahead, trying to see a break before there is a break and being anticipatory for things that might happen.”

Following his official presentation, Kylian Mbappé gave an interview to Le Parisien where he spoke about his new life, his ambitions and his desire to do the impossible with the new Brazilian star.

After a busy night which followed a welcome meal on behalf of PSG, Kylian Mbappé was presented yesterday morning in the Parc des Princes, with plenty of his family by his sides. His parents and younger brother Ethan were there for his official presentation, as were his uncle Pierre, grandfather and his lawyers.

The latter were very much present during these last few weeks and most notably, during the final night of the negotiations last Wednesday and Thursday. In one corner of the room, Antero Henrique, the new PSG sporting director, and Maxwell look in awe at their new protégé. Very much impressed, the former stated, “he really is very mature”. 

Last December in our newspaper, you spoke about your dream to one day play for PSG. Did you ever imagine if would happen this quickly?

No. At the time, I was only concentrated on earning my spot at Monaco. I only saw myself with ASM, and I wanted to finish my season as best as possible. I also did not know that my summer would be this hectic.

Did you hesitate to join PSG over Real Madrid?

PSG was the project with suited me best. I want to learn, but I also want to win. I have the smallest trophy cabinet in the dressing room, but I am hungry for titles. There are great players here. We have everything here to grow and make people happy.

Is the €180m transfer fee a lot difficult to cope with? 

I do not deal with any of that. This will not change my lifestyle or mentality. This does not worry me. The money does not go into or come out of my pocket. It does not affect me.

Did you think about the pressure put on PSG players before signing?

Football is not a form of pressure, but a form of enjoyment. It is a form of pressure when you think of it as a job. If you are worried about being fired from your job, then yes, you can be pressured. But I see it as a game, and when you see things like that, you are happy regardless of what happens.

Do you not worry about feeling scattered like other Parisians who return to the hometown?

My objectives with PSG are so ambitious that I do not have time to feel scattered. And I have friends who can help me concentrate if I get distracted.

What did your new coach Unai Emery say to you to convince you to sign?

He convinced me with more than one phrase. It is his football philosophy especially, as he is clear in what he wants to do. The coach eats, sleeps and lives for football like I do. We can do great things together. 

Which philosophy is that?

To keep possession and maintain a high press to penetrate into the opposition’s half. I really like this philosophy.

How do you cope with the hype around you?

Simply put, because I feed off this passion for football, which allows me to overcome it. And when I am not allowed to play, I am not happy. Football is the only activity which allows me to feel fulfilled and get rid of all forms of pressure. When I am on the pitch, I forget everything and play as if I were a kid.

What position do you prefer to play in?

It is a bit difficult to answer. My youth coaches never put me in the same position for more than two years. I finished centrally while playing in Monaco, but I have played multiple positions. I would say centrally, but I might have a different answer a year from now.

What are your personal objectives?

PSG is an ambitious club that wants to be the best in the world. So we have to win everything and be sure to leave no doubt whatsoever. We have to immediately impose ourselves as a strong team that can dominate as a group with its style of play. That is the key to success. 

Individually, in the long term, are you aiming for the Ballon d’Or? 

No. I already have a teammate who wants to win it. So individually, my objective is to score a lot of goals and help Neymar. He can help us lift many titles, so we need to take care of him. I will do everything I can to help him win the Ballon d’Or. It would make me happy if I could help him like that.  

You chose number 29 in reference to the date of birth of your younger brother Ethan. Is he better than you were at the same age?

No. We do play in the same position. I am more of a goal-scorer, and he is more of a provider. I hope he will manage to do more than me. I only wish the best for him. He is already at PSG and scored a goal earlier this week. It would be good for him to have his own life and not be in his older brother’s shadow, or in mine. He should follow his own path, and he should be left alone. 

What goes you on in your life off the pitch? Last year, you received your high school baccalaureate…

Yes, I did get it. Now, I have to take classes to get my driver’s license. Apart from that, there is not time for much else. When you want to succeed in this line of work, there are sacrifices you need to make, and these sacrifices take up most of your day. So you really do not have much time for anything else.

What made you decide to quote Albert Camus in your letter to the Monaco fans?

It is something I worked on in school. My father brought me up with those quotes, and I even had some in my room. This was part of my upbringing. It is a moment of amusement that we share together as a family. We tell tales, cite quotations. There were a lot of false rumours about my transfer situation, so it was important that I show my feelings towards them. 

What is your favorite quote?

“Aim for the moon to land among the stars” – Oscar Wilde

*full quote – “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars”

As it happens, are you far from the moon?

Oh, yes! Considering my objectives, I am very far. I have not even gone for liftoff yet.

What is your first memory from the Parc des Princes?

It was a PSG – Rennes game, from when my brother Jirès Kembo played for them (note: in 2009, when he was 10 years old). I was so happy that I came back to watch more games. I really like the stadium and atmosphere. Plus, the return of the PSG Ultras will be magnificent!

What Parisian player did you particularly like?

When I was younger, it was Ronaldinho.

How do you imagine your life in Paris?

Simple. I spend my days at the training ground and then I go home to eat, sleep and mess around a bit with friends and family. My days are not that extraordinary. 

Will you return to Bondy to live there?

No, not in Bondy. (laughing) Do you want me to get stuck in traffic before coming to the Camp des Loges everyday? Currently, I am still in the hotel. Afterwards, we will see.

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Y.H.

Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea has been suspended after his throat-slitting gesture to Melbourne Rebels scrum-half Ryan Louwrens during Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific clash.

Savea has been banned for one week for an accumulation of his actions during the match and will now miss the clash with the Blues this weekend.

The incident

Shortly before half-time, Savea was yellow carded after his involvement in a scuffle after the whistle.

While leaving the pitch, the number eight got caught up in an argument with Louwrens before making the throat-slitting gesture towards the Rebels number nine.

🌪️ This isn't great from Ardie Savea. #SuperRugbyPacific #REBvHUR pic.twitter.com/VqSCWElJeK

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) March 3, 2023

‘Did not breach the red card threshold’

Following the match, Savea was cited under Law 9.27, which states, ‘A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship.’

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While the citing commissioner ruled that Savea’s actions met the red card threshold, the SANZAAR Judicial Committee did not agree.

In a statement released by the organising body of Super Rugby Pacific, Judicial Committee Chairman Nigel Hampton KC ruled the following: “Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including from the player and submissions from his legal representative, Aaron Lloyd, the Judicial Committee found the foul play did not breach the red card threshold.”

“With respect to sanction, the Judicial Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a warning as it was close to, but did not breach, the red card threshold.

The second hearing

However, the Judicial Committee did issue Savea with a warning. Because the back-row had been yellow-carded in the same match, his warning essentially upgraded his yellow card to a red card.

SANZAAR Disciplinary Rule 6.1 states: ‘If a Player has received two Warnings or a combination of a Warning and a yellow card during a Match, he shall be treated for disciplinary purposes as if he had been sent off.’ 

This meant that the player had to reappear before the Committee members.

Nigel Hampton KC’s findings of the second hearing are as follows: “The Foul Play Review Committee conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, and oral submissions from his legal representative, Mr Aaron Lloyd.

“With respect to sanction the Foul Play Review Committee ruled, after considering a number of factors, including the guidance of World Rugby Regulation 17 Appendix 4, and due to the nature of the player’s persistent offending, with both the yellow card and the warning being issued for unsportsmanlike play, that an appropriate sanction for the player would be a suspension of one week.”

Savea will now miss the Hurricanes’ clash against the Blues but will be available for the following weekend’s game against the Waratahs.

It’s not as if it hasn’t happened before, an academy product replacing a much more highly regarded talent in Lyon’s starting eleven. Even as recently as last season, Nicolas N’Koulou was often benched for the young defender Mouctar Diakhaby, despite being on an eye-watering wage packet. In seasons past, Jimmy Briand was shifted to the wing to make space for Alexandre Lacazette, and Maxime Gonalons got his first chances in the side at the expense of Jean II Makoun.

This season, it appears that Memphis Depay, despite having only been at the Parc OL since January, is in real danger of becoming the next name in that sequence. The Dutchman’s first few months at Lyon were decent enough, but the likes of Maxwel Cornet and Rachid Ghezzal hardly offered the stiffest competition, and his goal and assist numbers were hardly a fair reflection of his overall contribution.

More was expected of him in the current campaign; alongside Nabil Fékir and summer signings Bertrand Traoré and Mariano Diaz, Lyon’s rejuvenated attack would place an emphasis on youth and dynamism, with Fékir being named captain as a nod to his importance in this regard.

Lyon, now winless in four after failing to beat Atalanta in the Europa League yesterday, have struggled somewhat in defence, but in benching Depay for youngster Houssem Aouar in the team’s last two matches, manager Bruno Génésio may have uncovered the club’s next breakthrough player. Diakhaby had impressed in flashes last season, but Lyon had generally struggled in recent times to see an academy player make a strong impression.

The signings of the likes of Lucas Tousart, Tanguy Ndombélé, Cornet and the now-departed Emanuel Mammana had seen the club buy younger players in lieu of the next Lacazette or Corentin Tolisso appearing, but Aouar looks set to break that cycle.

Only 19, Aouar had made his official first start for Lyon in the infamous Bastia match of last season, but aside from a handful of substitute appearances, had barely played. That appeared to continue to be the case this season, as a fit Depay looked eager to build on what had been a step up in form from his time at Manchester United, no longer having Ghezzal and Mathieu Valbuena as obstacles to his place in the first team.

Aouar was given the start against Dijon last weekend, but at home against a seemingly middling opponent, it seemed more the case that Génésio was resting players with an eye on yesterday’s match against a weaker opponent, as both Cornet and Depay were left out of the squad entirely.

What followed last Saturday, however, was quite impressive. Despite Lyon failing to beat Dijon, Aouar looks a natural. Wiry but strong, he plays with the same sort of positional versatility that is seen elsewhere in attack with Fékir and Traoré. Able to move inside or switch flanks, Aouar’s relationship with Traoré and Fékir has immediately given Lyon more ability on the ball, and more creativity.

His goal against Dijon also showed how he can take more central roles, even swapping positions with Diaz to add another threat in the box for Lyon. Along with that willingness to play on the ball has come an impressive relationship with Ferland Mendy, the young left back signed in the summer from Le Havre, seeing Aouar frequently cutting inside to allow the defender to provide more natural width.

Aouar is similarly able to go wide himself, but he really shines on the ball, playing a more inverted role although not to an overly selfish extent. His strength allows him to carry the ball and consistently earn free kicks in dangerous positions, while not being remiss in looking for his teammates.

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This last aspect is particularly important, as Depay, despite his talent, can be maddeningly selfish with the ball at his feet. The Dutchman is still only 23, but has played enough football to know his limitations, or so one would hope. However, he is often let down by his touch, insisting on attempting to use his pace, rather than his technical ability to beat his man.

Aouar has no such compunction about relying on guile over speed, although not because he is particularly slow, but rather that he seems able to take a more holistic view of how the team’s attacking strengths (Diaz’s aerial ability, Fékir’s powerful shooting, Traoré’s dribbling) function and complement them rather than, as Depay is wont to do, attempt to make himself the focal point.

That is not to say Aouar plays as a sort of shrinking violet, as he showed against Atalanta. His strength and drive against the veteran Andrea Masiello impressed, and he was also more than happy to track back defensively, not only giving his side a bit more of a solid outlook but also more freedom for Mendy to get forward.

This all comes, of course, with the caveat that it has only been two matches, neither of which Lyon won, and against hardly the highest calibre of opponent, but the early signs for Aouar are promising indeed.

Depay has the talent to make the battle for the starting role more competitive, to be sure, and may feature against Angers on Sunday, but only through rotation. For the moment, Aouar is the deserved starter, and Lyon’s renewed emphasis on youth looks set to be led by one of its own.

For a club at which the mood had been rather dour following the summer’s sales of Tolisso and Lacazette and failure to qualify for the Champions’ League, Aouar represents a genuine hope for the future. If managed carefully, he can no doubt scale the heights of Fékir and Lacazette, and hopefully propel what is a talented but at times slightly incoherent team back into the top three.

E.D.

Eddie Jones has made the first appointment to his backroom staff since taking charge of the Wallabies last month, with Brett Hodgson named as their new defence coach.

A former rugby league player, who made more than 350 appearances in the NRL and who also played in the English Super League, Hodgson also had a spell as a head coach of Hull in the latter competition.

Worked with Jones for England

He had a short stint as Jones‘ assistant with England, when he served as their defence coach during last year’s Autumn Nations Series Tests, but when Jones was fired from his position as head coach the 45-year-old’s services were also not retained by the RFU.

Hodgson attended Friday’s Round One Super Rugby Pacific clash between the Waratahs and Brumbies in Sydney with Jones and he is set to join the Wallabies‘ coaching staff immediately.

“I’m really excited to be back in Australia and working with the Wallabies, especially in a World Cup year,” Hodgson said in a statement.

“There’s plenty of hard work ahead and I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running and making a positive contribution to the team.

“The Wallabies are a team everyone in Australia loves to get behind and from what I’ve seen so far there’s plenty of talent here and that’s something that’s really exciting.”

Hodgson’s appointment comes at the right time for the Wallabies after it was announced last week that Dan McKellar (forwards coach) and Petrus du Plessis (scrum coach) would leave their positions with the team.

“Brett’s a hard-working and detailed young coach who will be a great asset to the Wallabies and the coaching staff,” said Jones.

“He’s worked under some great coaching mentors like Gus Gould and Tim Sheens in his time as a player and a coach, so he’s well-schooled and I know he’ll give his best to the job of producing the best defence in the world.”

More coaching appointments to be made

Jones and Rugby Australia (RA) will confirm the rest of the Wallabies’ backroom staff in the coming weeks, with RA chief executive Andy Marinos not intending to get involved in that process.

“We’ve got to operate within the confines of the business and the frameworks. But in terms of how he wants to play the game and populate his team, and how they want to present themselves, absolutely,” Marinos told reporters in Sydney last Friday.

“That’s what every coach needs to have. They’ve got to build their own identity and their culture and we’re here ready to support to make sure he can achieve those things.”

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Josh Mart takes the chance to preview this Champions League encounter between Paris Saint Germain and Anderlecht at the Parc des Princes in Paris. These two sides met in Belgium last time out, with PSG coming away with all three points after a rather flattering 4-0 win.

This result puts Les Parisiens in a fantastic position in the group at the halfway stage as they sit top of the table ahead of Bavarian giants Bayern Munich, and with two very winnable home games to come (including this one), PSG have to be favourites to claim the coveted top spot in the standings which can lead to a more favourable tie in February’s knock-out phase.

Anderlecht on the other hand, sit rock bottom of the table with zero points gained and also no goals scored which means that the best they can realistically hope for is a Europa League spot but even that will be tricky, as Celtic already have the upper hand by beating the Belgians in Brussels.

Psg have been in swashbuckling form in Ligue 1 of late, a 2-2 draw with bitter rivals Marseille being the only slip up in the last 5 matches. Friday nights 3-0 victory over Nice was a perfect way to warm up for Tuesday’s match as Unai Emery was able to make some changes and give some players such as Julian Draxler and Yuri much needed game time as well as getting the all important three points which keeps PSG top of the Ligue 1 standings.

Anderlecht’s form has been better since coach Vanhaezebrouck took over last month with the reigning Belgian champions climbing to 3rd in the Pro League standings. Saturday’s enthralling 3-2 away victory at Eupen was Anderlecht’s second victory in a few days after also beating Zulte Waregem last midweek.

Despite this upturn in form though, Anderlecht are still a whopping 9 points behind Club Brugge who sit top of the table. That sort of points deficit will be difficult to make up, even with so many matches left this campaign.

Team News and Tactics:

PSG head coach Unai Emery can welcome back Neymar to the fold for this European match, as the Brazilian superstar has been serving a suspension in Ligue 1 following a red card against Marseille a few weeks ago. Mbappé however, could be a given a ‘rest’ in this one due to tiredness (or poor form depending on what source you read). Thiago Motta also misses out through injury here.

With this in mind I expect PSG to line up in a 4-3-3 formation with Areola in goals behind a probable back four of Dani Alves, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva and Kurzawa/Yuri. With Thiago Motta missing, Rabiot will deputise in the ‘number 6 role’ and will be supported by Verratti and one of Pastore/Draxler. Neymar is a certainty to start on the left of the front three which will be spearheaded by in form Edinson Cavani. With doubts over whether Mbappé will start, Angel Di Maria could start on the right side of the attack for this one.

Anderlecht have a few injury concerns with Andy Najar missing through injury and serious doubts over the availability of Kara Mbodji and Uros Spajic at the back.

With this in mind I expect Anderlecht to lineup in a sort of 5-4-1 formation which could turn into a 3-4-3 when attacking with Dendoncker, Sa and Deschacht to play as the back three. Obradovic and Appiah could start as wing backs with Onyekuru/Gerkens and Hanni likely to play in the wide positions higher up the pitch. Sven Kums and Trebel are set to start in midfield and will look to provide support to lone striker Teodorczyk.

Key Men:

Edinson Cavani (PSG) – El Matador has been in excellent form for PSG this season, and for 2017 as a whole. Even with potential issues with Neymar earlier in the season, Cavani just seems to keep working hard to do what he does best- score goals. His injury time equaliser against Marseille in Le Classique sums up how good he has been for PSG this campaign. Expect him to notch in this one.

Lukasz Teodorczyk (Anderlecht) – The Polish target man has been a great acquisition for the Belgian’s since his move from Dynamo Kiev. He has great aerial prowess and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. This will be a hard game for him to shine though, and he will need plenty of support from Onyekuru/Hanni/Gerkens if Anderlecht are to get the best out of him here.

Prediction

Despite both previous meetings between the two sides at the Parc des Princes ending in stalemate, it is almost impossible to predict anything other than a PSG victory here, whether Mbappe plays or not. Anderlecht know that there crucial match is against Celtic but will hope to limit PSG as much as possible here.

Prediction: PSG 3-0 Anderlecht

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Fly-half Paolo Garbisi has been brought straight into the Italy team for their Six Nations fixture against Ireland in Rome on Saturday.

The 22-year-old missed their opening two matches of the tournament through injury but proved his fitness by playing 30 minutes for Montpellier last weekend.

Impressive return

He assisted a try during his time on the field as they succumbed 31-21 to Lyon in the Top 14.

Garbisi combines with Stephen Varney at half-back, while Tommaso Allan, who started against France and England, drops to the Italy bench.

There is just one more alteration in the backline from the team that went down to the Red Rose, with Pierre Bruno coming in for Luca Morisi.

Bruno takes his place on the left wing with Menoncello moving to centre to partner Juan Ignacio Brex in the midfield.

One change in the pack

Up front, head coach Kieran Crowley has returned to the combination which impressed against Les Bleus, with Simone Ferrari coming in for Marco Riccioni.

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Giacomo Nicotera and Danilo Fischetti complete the front-row and they are supported by locks Niccolo Cannone and Federico Ruzza.

With Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro and Lorenzo Cannone the loose trio, it means that Crowley has gone for the same back five for the third Six Nations match in a row.

On the bench, Jake Polledri is injured which means Giovanni Pettinelli comes into the 23, and he is joined by fellow replacements Luca Bigi, Federico Zani, Riccioni, Edoardo Iachizzi, Alessandro Fusco and Morisi for the encounter with Ireland.

Italy: 15 Ange Capuozzo, 14 Edoardo Padovani, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Pierre Bruno, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: 16 Luca Bigi, 17 Federico Zani, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Edoardo Iachizzi, 20 Giovanni Pettinelli, 21 Alessandro Fusco, 22 Luca Morisi, 23 Tommaso Allan

Date: Saturday, February 25
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Kick-off: 15:15 local (14:15 GMT)
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Craig Evans (Wales)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

Sitting and watching football is what Marcelo Bielsa does best. A touchline icebox doubled as his perch at Marseille, made famous by an unfortunate incident with a rogue coffee cup, he sat oddly unflinching on the Lille bench as his assistant had a blazing argument with the fourth official inches away during the trip to Amiens last week and he has even supposedly trained himself to sit and watch multiple games at once with the aim of picking out patterns of play. But as El Loco sat in a Lille restaurant, suspended from his duties and sacking imminent, watching his Lille side lose 3-0 at Montpellier on a laptop, Marcelo Bielsa’s fiery, enigmatic, mad-scientist persona seemed to ebb away and was replaced by a sense of inevitability and déja vu.

Despite the fanfare surrounding Bielsa’s arrival and his perpetual aura that bred genuine hope of a renaissance for Les Dogues under his tutelage, this disappointingly short episode of El Loco’s career has proven to be simply the latest lap of what has become a vitriolic, vicious cycle; disaster rarely far away. To solely blame Bielsa for bizarre departures from Marseille, Lazio and now Lille would be wrong but the bizarre situations that led to recent resignations, this will be his first genuine ’sacking’ for some time, all have one common denominator.

Bielsa’s perceived lack of control over the squad and the deterioration of his relationships as a result, in parallel to other recent abrupt departures, has again proved pivotal. Dissatisfaction at the loss of (and indeed lack of replacements for) Dimitri Payet, Florian Thauvin, André Pierre Gignac and others during his first summer at the Vélodrome preceded what the Argentine claims was an unsolicited reduction in pay and an increasingly belligerent relationship with prominent club officials while his 48-hour flirtation with Lazio ended due to the club’s inability to sign any of Bielsa’s transfer targets.

New Lille owner Gérard Lopez’s vision of transforming Les Dogues into a breeding ground for young talent orchestrated by Bielsa’s footballing ideology, a project the club have cringingly branded “LOSC Unlimited”, brought with it former Barcelona VP, Marc Ingla and Monaco Technical Director Luis Campos. Perhaps inevitably, the control Bielsa demanded has, in his eyes, been slowly eroded by Campos in particular and the relationship between the two men has become irrevocable. A situation which lead to Bielsa’s suspension after the 3-0 loss to Amiens last Monday although Campos has reportedly wanted “El Loco” gone for some time, rumours that an unauthorised visit to Chile caused the rift have proven to be false.

From a distance, it seemed Bielsa’s purview remained unfiltered over the summer as a huge overhaul of the playing staff drastically altered the landscape at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy with 22 players leaving and 17 joining in the last year. This remaking of the team started as soon as Lopez’s ownership of the club was ratified on the final day of the January window when 7 players were hastily bussed in before Bielsa’s arrival was announced, although heavily rumoured at the time, in February. However, these dealings were not approved by Bielsa despite his impending appointment and Campos has continued to take the lead on player recruitment since. Perhaps tellingly, Thiago Mendes, one of few outright Bielsa picks, has been a revelation in Ligue 1 this season.

Nevertheless, whether the influx was largely of Campos or Bielsa’s making, a very young and brand new team was going to take time to coalesce into one of the exuberant, gung-ho outfits that Bielsa is famous for building. However, since the 3-0 opening day flattening at the hands of Claudio Ranieri’s Nantes, Lille have been more lethargic, disjointed and wayward in front of goal that could have been foreseen, the decision to sell last season’s top scorer Nicolas de Préville to rivals Bordeaux no small factor and again a choice not taken by the manager.

Disagreements aside, a run of 9 games without a win that only produced 3 goals has seen Les Dogues floundering in the bottom three since and it seemed that Bielsa’s time had elapsed and that Campos and co. were right to want him out as their team looked capable of nothing better than a relegation scuffle. However, despite Campos’ influence, Bielsa remained the marquee signing for Lopez’s rebranded Lille; his footballing philosophy it’s centre-piece and the former Bilbao manager’s presence one of its key selling points, meaning removing him so early would be an admission of the project’s failure.

Nevertheless, the need for ‘LOSC Unlimited’ to succeed on financial and by extension sporting levels in the relative short term eventually combined with Bielsa’s rapidly depreciated relationships with both Campos and his players, who have become frustrated with the unwavering 3-3-3-1 setup and their coach’s insistence in deploying some of their number out of position, became too difficult to ignore after the desperate loss to promoted Amiens.

This was despite a brief upturn in results as Lille beat the hapless bottom club Metz and a St Etienne in chaos after their derby drubbing by Lyon. For now Bielsa remains in some bizarre form of Ligue 1 purgatory, awaiting a final decision on his future, Lille unwilling to pay the €9.5m it would cost to have him leave. The superb 2-1 win at second place Lyon last night might be a sign that Lopez should concede and pay up.

Pep Guardiola famously described Bielsa as “the best coach in the world” while those managers seen as his disciples such as Guardiola, Jorge Sampaoli and Mauricio Pochettino, are famed for their own similar departures from coaching norms. However, few follow the Argentine’s methods to the letter and, broken promises aside, it now seems as though Bielsa may be the latest manager which modern football has simply left behind. Disputes with the now ubiquitous directors of football and haughty frustration at a lack of ‘his’ signings bypasses recognition of the way in which the sport now conducts itself and the ever impinging disparate and conflicting motivations of players, agents, presidents and so on.

Marcelo Bielsa is ‘The Professor’ to some; an innovator, influencer and tactical genius and the combustible, enigmatic, mad-scientist ‘El Loco’ to others. But after this latest madcap run at management, the balance between the two schools of thought might be starting to shift and in truth he may now be neither genius nor enigma, simply a man sitting with his laptop watching along with everyone else.

1 | Bordeaux were finally back to winning ways on Tuesday evening, earning three points for the first time in more than two months, 3-0 at home. A St Étienne side still finding its feet under the team of Julien Sablé and Jean-Louis Gasset were easy pickings, but Jocelyn Gourvennec’s decision to play a reactive 4-2-3-1 as opposed to the team’s habitual, plodding 4-3-3 seems was handsomely rewarded. With François Kamano and Nicolas De Préville both suspended, some changes were inevitable, but the manager also dropped Younousse Sankharé in favour of the more prosaic duo of Otávio and Lukas Lerager. The pair, freed from much attacking responsibility, did well to control the match by playing a series of long balls and breaking up play, with Alexandre Mendy’s aerial ability seeing the side have a defined focal point. Mendy used his physicality to great effect, menacing the visitors’ back line on his way to a brace. Most Ligue 1 opposition won’t seek so much of the ball, but on the whole, Gourvennec’s game plan was superb, and provided a result which could well be the tonic the club need to resume their push for a top six finish.

2 | Florian Thauvin continued his good form of late, notching a goal and an assist to lead Marseille to a 3-0 win at Metz. Les Grenats hardly offered the sternest resistance, but after a limp display at home to Guingamp on Sunday, the result, coming as it did in concert with losses by Monaco and Lyon will do wonders for the team’s confidence, especially with a daunting encounter with Montpellier looming on Sunday. More to the point, though, Thauvin continues to thrive; where last season he could lean on Bafétimbi Gomis and Dimitri Payet to share the attacking work load, the current one has seen the winger offer up much of the team’s impetus on his own. A better defence and the sublime Luiz Gustavo have helped as well, but Thauvin’s steady improvement from the petulant youngster who moaned his way out of Lille continues apace, and looks be dovetailing nicely with Marseille’s progress as a club.

3 | After wins from Lille and Nice, the club looking most like chasing Metz into Ligue 2 now appears to be Angers. After just one loss in their first nine matches, Le SCO are now winless in six, and with Montpellier, Nantes and Monaco to come before the winter break, no respite appears on the horizon. Stéphane Moulin has attempted to evolve his side from a no-frills outfit relying on physicality into something more aesthetically pleasing, but with things yet to click going forward, Angers are now subpar in both defence and attack. Karl Toko Ekambi has generally been a force in attack, but a raft of talented youngsters bought in the summer have failed to play with any consistency. Enzo Crivelli, Angelo Fulgini, Baptiste Guillaume and Lassana Coulibaly have all had their moments, but have more often than not flattered to deceive. Moulin, in response, has frequently changed his line-ups, chopping and changing at will as he seeks to find an ideal eleven. His newfound penchant for experimentation is yet to pay off, and the veteran manager could find his job under threat despite his achievements to date.

A.W. with E.D.

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Last season’s United Rugby Championship runners-up, the Bulls, produced a good response to their recent losses by overcoming Benetton 44-22 on Friday.

In a first half full or errors, the Italian outfit made slightly fewer and deservedly moved 9-3 ahead at the interval thanks to the accurate kicking of Tomas Albornoz.

Chris Smith responded for the Pretoria-based side before adding a second off the tee after a positive start to the final 40 minutes from the South Africans.

They remained in the ascendency and were rewarded with tries for Ruan Nortje and Elrigh Louw before Benetton went back in front after Manuel Zuliani went over and Albornoz kicked another three-pointer.

But the Bulls would finish the stronger and converted tries by Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Marcell Coetzee and Stravino Jacobs sealed an important URC win for the Bulls.

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Jake White’s men enjoyed a positive start to the campaign, winning their opening three matches, but they went into this game off the back of disappointing defeats to Glasgow Warriors and Munster.

Their final match of the tour initially saw them once again struggle to gain a foothold in the match as the hosts controlled matters in the first half.

Benetton dictated proceedings and deservedly went 6-0 ahead via a pair of Albornoz penalties.

The Bulls rarely found their way into the opposition half, despite Coetzee’s carrying ability and the pilfering brilliance of Bismarck du Plessis.

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When the away side did finally put the Italians under some pressure, they earned a penalty which Smith easily dispatched to reduce the arrears.

Almost immediately, however, the Bulls infringed and another successive Albornoz three-pointer gave Benetton a 9-3 advantage at the break.

Superb second half from the Bulls

White needed a response from his charges and he got it in the early stages of the second period. Firstly, Smith kicked a successful effort off the tee before they manufactured the opening try of the match.

It was brilliantly worked as Marco van Staden made the initial incursion with a bruising carry through the heart of the Benetton rearguard. With the opposition defence in retreat, Embrose Papier sniped around the fringes and Nortje was on hand to cross the whitewash.

Although Albornoz responded with a fourth penalty soon after, the Bulls had the momentum and they touched down for the second time when Louw went over from close range.

Zuliani’s converted try and Albornoz’s three-pointer took the hosts back ahead, but the away team’s physicality was beginning to tell.

The visitors were much the better side in the final 15 minutes and, after Smith had regained their advantage, Wessels crossed the whitewash to move them eight points clear.

The job was not quite done just yet but Coetzee and Jacobs put the result beyond doubt with late scores.

Connacht ease to victory over Scarlets

Mack Hansen hunted down a Jack Carty kick for Connacht’s fifth and final try in a runaway 36-14 victory over the Scarlets at the Sportsground.

Andy Friend’s men picked up their first bonus point of the United Rugby Championship season, finishing strongly with a penalty try and Hansen’s second score.

Adding to Niall Murray’s first-minute opener, Hansen touched down to give Connacht a 16-11 interval lead. Steff Evans crossed for the Scarlets, while Jack Carty and Sam Costelow kicked two penalties each.

In the second half, Connacht replacement prop Jack Aungier barged over for his third try of the season and David Hawkshaw also split the posts.

The Scarlets struggled for the remainder, replacement Rhys Patchell kicking their only points, and Sione Kalamafoni and Dan Thomas were both sin-binned late on.

Ligue 1 side Angers are in advanced negotiations with Club Brugge over the return of goalkeeper Ludovic Butelle, according to France Football.

The 34-year-old shot stopper’s current contract with the Belgian outfit expires at the end of the season, a deal is almost certain to occur.