A year ago, Pierre Sage was coaching as an assistant manager in the French National (third division) before moving to a position at Lyon as head of the club’s youth academy. He now finds himself entrusted with leading Lyon’s senior side in the most tumultuous of circumstances. From groundbreaking work in psychological preparation in youth football, to an attractive Guardiola style-of-play, who is Pierre Sage and what could help him get the best out of Les Gones?
Fabio Grosso was this morning officially sacked as Olympique Lyonnais boss after only seven games in charge at the Groupama Stadium, following on from Laurent Blanc’s early season departure. After a disappointing 2-0 loss against Lille, Les Olympiens remain at the bottom of the Ligue 1 table, with only seven points to their name.
Whilst Lyon owner John Textor gave his backing to Grosso last week, the defeat proved to be the final straw for the American – who said he would be meeting the Italian this week to discuss his future.
The likes of Bruno Genesio, and former Marseille bosses Igor Tudor and Jorge Sampaoli are on the shortlist to permanently replace Grosso, according to RMC Sport. However in the meantime, it will be youth academy director Pierre Sage who will take the reins of the team who face Lens on Saturday, and potentially for the replay trip to Marseille on Wednesday.
A ‘coach’ in the purest sense
Sage, as opposed to his two previous predecessors in the OL hot seat, is not a World Cup winner. Despite a playing career which never touched the top level, Sage is a coach in the purest sense. The 44-year-old forged a reputation in the Rhône-Alpes region as an effective backroom staff member in various local clubs and a brief stint at Sedan, before joining the city of Lyon’s second team Lyon-Duchère for the 2018-2019 season as an assistant manager to current Orléans boss Karim Mokkedem.
It was these years Sage was also known for helping clubs structure their youth development, bringing him to the attention of Lyon and the then director of youth academy Jean-François Vulliez. The Frenchman was appointed as head of the U16s in 2019, spearheading a revolution in Lyon’s youth academy which focussed on the mental preparation of players. Sage is known for highlighting the psychology of individuals, and a style of play inspired by the likes of Marcelo Bielsa or Pep Guardiola.
With Habib Beye’s appointment at suburban Parisian side Red Star FC, Pierre Sage got his chance to put his theory into practice in a productive partnership with the former Newcastle, Marseille, and Villa defender. It was in the suburbs of Northern Paris where Sage was partly the brains behind a resurgent Red Star side that is now competing for promotion to Ligue 2.
A disciple of Positional play
Sage is considered a hard-worker, constantly developing his game and learning off the best in the business. He is currently undergoing a masters in tactical periodisation, a methodology used by the likes of Pep Guardiola, José Mourinnho and Julian Naggelsman. This was something that clicked with his manager Beye, who wanted to implement concepts of positional play in the French third division.
Beye was actually the subject of interest from John Textor when appointing Laurent Blanc’s successor at Lyon earlier this year, yet a friendly relationship with fellow American owners 777 Partners saw Red Star politely decline talks from taking place. But if a move for Beye wasn’t to be, then why not the tacticsman behind him?
Sage was a big part of Red Star’s near-miss promotion campaign last season, which saw system changes and an attractive style of play akin to the fundamentals of positional play.
“I’m really influenced by positional play,” Beye told Le Club des 5 this summer after Sage’s departure. “I was helped with that a lot by Pierre Sage – I needed someone who had mastered that approach so I could put in place my methodology.”
Sage’s coaching style is one of serious tactician, rather than an outspoken leader, a ‘doer’ rather than a ‘talker’ as it were. His side’s are built on collective work, intensity, but also creative freedom.
It is likely that there won’t be enough time for Lyon fans to see the fruits of his footballing vision during the interim period – but Sage’s perspective is one that sees the structure of the club as fundamental for on-pitch performance. It’s with this ambition that Sage was offered a role as head of Lyon’s youth academy this summer, a role he would likely continue following the nomination of a new manager. This is of course unless he is the man to change Lyon’s fortunes around on the pitch on a long-term basis?
GFFN | George Boxall
Photo Credit : Bazil Fleury – @icietailleurs55 on Instagram.
