EXCLUSIVE | Louis Saha on Ligue 1’s financial restraints: ‘In other European leagues it’s not at all as regulated.’
EXCLUSIVE | Louis Saha on Ligue 1’s financial restraints: ‘In other European leagues it’s not at all as regulated. ’ Get French Football News sat down with former France, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton striker Louis Saha this week for a wide-ranging football chat. In this final part of a four-part interview, Louis spoke about the struggles of his first club, FC Metz, and the wider problems facing Ligue 1 clubs.
Another of your former teams, who are doing even worse than Tottenham this season – are my team, FC Metz. When you played for them they were challenging for the title, with players like Robert Pires. How do you explain the fact that they have become a yo-yo club?
Oh yes, it’s been hard going this season! I think a lot comes down to framework. When you have results that look like repeated bad cycles and lots of yo-yoing, then for me it means that there is a problem with the structure.
You can change the players, change the managers, but if you end up repeating a pattern, then there is a structural problem. FC Metz are among the best clubs in terms of developing players – some unbelievable players have come from there. So I don’t think it’s a problem related to players coming through the academy.
Maybe it’s a need to keep those players for a little longer. That would be good in terms of the stability of a club – try not to be a springboard club too soon – that might be something that could be managed. Although it’s a risk and sometimes you have to admit defeat because there are bigger clubs that splash the cash straightaway, as soon as you’ve developed a player.