Laurent Prud'homme in support of John Textor

Laurent Prud'homme the CEO and John Textor the boss of OL / © O&L

An explosive character in French Football, John Textor must face a certain distrust of his multi-ownership model. Director general of OL, Laurent Prud'homme defends the American.

Since the interview he gave to RMC on January 13, OL found themselves at the heart of the news. Following this interview, John Weaver placed Olympique Lyonnais on the front page of the media, between the transfer window, contacts with Paulo Fonseca and various other information falling like a hair on the soup. In reality, the businessman has been raising questions for months. The DNCG sanctions last November were the straw that broke the camel's back.

Its multiple ownership system is constantly discussed, reshuffling the cards in the world of football. Some see it as sleight of hand weakening the clubs, others a way to get away from the principle of a strong shareholder base which would cover debts and put them in the pot if necessary. In the Rhône, it is still difficult to get a precise idea of ​​what will happen to the seven-time French champions (2002-2008) Eagle Football version.

“The structure that has existed for 40 years is broken”

Director general of the Rhone institution, Laurent Prud'homme supports the direction the Missouri native is taking. “John's model is one of value creation. This is a responsible situation in the current context. The structure that has existed for 40 years is broken. We experienced -60% TV rights. John offers his own method. It stands out, that's for sure, recognized the leader with RMC Sport. His energy and his tone can be jarring, but he is a great business leader, a visionary and a football specialist.”

The former CEO of The Team confirms that now, “the destiny of OL is linked to the success of Botafogo, and vice versa“The success of one helps the other, which we have observed in recent months.”Each club contributes to and benefits from the efforts of the other. For example, the victory bonus in Libertadores is 23 million euros, explained Laurent Prud’homme. It's also 9 million for the championship and the prize money for participation in the next Club World Cup, 50 million.“A significant sum which, he hopes, will allow Olympique Lyonnais to escape DNCG sanctions at the end of the season.