Not many Manchester United players have gone on to become truly elite managers and Laurent Blanc is one of them.
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With a point-per-game average of only 1.65, Blanc was always on borrowed time, and the bad start to the 2023-24 season finally sealed his fate.
He joined United from Inter on a free transfer and played at Old Trafford for two years before retiring.
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— Olympique Lyonnais 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@OL_English) September 11, 2023
Blanc didn’t help his prospects either.
Two top prospects in Castello Lukeba and Bradley Barcola were sold for big money and there were only three permanent arrivals, including a 30-year-old Clinton Mata.
🔴🔵 Olympique Lyonnais and Laurent Blanc have decided, by mutual agreement, to part ways as of today. ⬇ pic.twitter.com/YxlXfoes37
After a 1-4 demolition by Montpellier in the second league game of the season, Blanc remarkably suggested that the club might have to sack him for the results to improve. Two matchdays later, he got his wish.
The former United man has been sacked as Olympique Lyon’s manager as his team sits at the bottom of the Ligue 1 table after four games.
Blanc has so far had a lukewarm managerial career, with spells at PSG and France being the top points of his career but he hasn’t ever separated himself from the pack of middling options.
Lyon finished 7th last year and showed initial signs of life under Blanc but soon sputtered to nowhere.
Blanc was appointed as the Lyon manager in October 2022 but his tenure lasted just 11 months and 37 games.
This pre-season was underwhelming and there was a palpable frustration bubbling beneath the surface as top prospects were sold without many reinforcements.
Blanc ultimately let the situation get to him and by the end of his tenure, he looked like a man waiting to be sacked, sometimes literally, as his interview after Montpellier would attest to.