After Lille-Real (1-0), Jean-Michel Aulas tells his Genesio: “City were more wary of Bruno than of our team”

Why did you decide to trust Bruno Genesio in 2015 given that he had absolutely no professional coaching experience?

Jean-Michel Aulas: The man corresponded perfectly to the Lyon spirit, that is to say in discretion but in efficiency. Trust is built around human values. And then, Bruno was very close to Gérard Houllier, who said a lot of good things about him. My mentor, in all circumstances, has always been Gérard. During our collaboration, while he was always underestimated by part of the Lyon public, Bruno knew how to stand up by having, as he had against Madrid, intuitions in terms of technique, football tactics which are above average.

What is his great quality that sets him apart from others?

JM.A. : I also know it from the other presidents who have had to manage him: he is incredibly loyal. That is to say, he is not going to put himself forward in relation to the institution in which he works. He comes later. In the order of his priorities, it is institution, president and the coach comes behind.

Isn’t that precisely what has failed him in his career?

JM.A. : Yes of course. He never changed, he remained a bit of a humble man. With him, there is not much deviation in language or attitude, but he remains true to his tactical ideas, true to his players and true to his intuition. But I really think that what hurt him most was that he didn’t have a history of being a very great player. And so, since he doesn’t put himself forward, people have identified him as Mr. Everyman, even though he really has a lot of qualities.

Yes but, for example, Rudi Garcia doesn’t have a great playing background but he has taken care of his image.

JM.A. : You are absolutely right. Rudi is much more demonstrative than Bruno. What worked against Bruno was that he arrived in a context in Lyon where we had the impression that the coach was less strong than the institution. There was a gap. What doesn’t work in its favor is really its look. It comes down to communication. He doesn’t put himself forward, he isn’t demonstrative. He is not going to go see journalists with a communications manager. He remains himself. Although, as I explained to you, he really is someone who has a very high tactical sense.

Do you remember a move that amazed you?

JM.A. : I remember the match at Manchester City (editor’s note: 1-2 victory in 2018). He had put Maxwel Cornet, who was not successful, in the corridor and who had scored… On the way back, Khaldoon Al Mubarak (editor’s note: president and owner of City) came to see me before the match and said to me: “Jean- Michel, we are on our guard because you have a coach who inspires the respect of Pep Guardiola.” At City, they were more suspicious of Bruno than of our team.

Even the nickname Pep Genesio is basically a bit caustic…

JM.A. : Terribly contemptuous, yes. It makes him look like the provincial on duty… Initially, part of the public did not take him seriously. It penalized him. But between us, the press has not been kind to him at all in general. And it’s true that that too… I don’t want to say that it’s a dirty-mouthed trial, but these are preconceptions that had no reason to exist.

In 2017, you told us that you bit your fingers for having proved the supporters right by ousting him.

JM.A. : (he cuts) Yes, I confirm. In fact, I already explained it to you at the time, Bruno told me: “if we don’t beat Rennes, it’s me who leaves.” I accepted, being convinced that we would not lose. I stuck to the deal we had. The coach who puts his position on the line in a match also proves that he has heart. But yes, I confirm that I should have resisted because, on the one hand, we got along really well and because he is a very good coach. And then, when you agree too quickly with the supporters, at one point or another, you regret it. There, I regretted it.

Where do you place him in the galaxy of coaches you had at Lyon?

JM.A. : He comes immediately after Gérard Houllier, in the same rank as Paul Le Guen. For me, there is performance and then there is intrinsic value. I also got along very well with Rudi Garcia who suffered a bit of reaction from the public and the press. Because, remember, when he arrived in Lyon, he was beaten before he even played his first match. I liked Peter Bosz, but he didn’t succeed.

How did he deal with the supporters’ criticism of him?

JM.A. : Bruno was really touched. Sometimes, I even think that it was a disservice to him. I spent a lot of time cheering him up because he found it so unfair that he even questioned it. I think it hampered his career. Perhaps if he had had a communications manager or someone close to him who made him change his attitude, perhaps he would have had an even more brilliant career than the one he has in the anonymity.

Wouldn’t his greatest feat ultimately be to have succeeded elsewhere than in Lyon and to remove this label of Lyonnais? What José Anigo, for example, never achieved with Marseille.

JM.A: Yes, absolutely. It was perhaps the hardest for him. The presidents who wanted him all called me to ask me things about him, they weren’t sure. They asked themselves: “can he succeed elsewhere than in Lyon? Does he win because he has a very strong team and thanks to his Lyon identity? Or does he wins because he’s a great tactician?” This Lyon label did him no favors. But I told them all that he was going to do an exceptional job. He is a leader of men and I have never seen a coach work so much.

What relationship do you have today?

JM. A.: We have maintained very good relations with him. I made him love Saint-Tropez and he bought a little pied-à-terre there. He is a bit like me, that is to say from Lyon and from Saint-Tropez.