The question of the future of Vladimir Petkovic at the head of the Girondins de Bordeaux arises more and more after the new rout of his team in Rennes.
Arrived this summer in the suitcases of Gérard Lopez, the Swiss has never managed to create dynamics with his group and his management questions in a race to maintain.
His future depends only on his loyalty to his management and a big check to sign for it in the event of dismissal.
It's a statement as funny as it is lunar. On Sunday, Vladimir Petkovic simply put forward the argument of his astrological sign (the lion) to discuss his future at the head of the Girondins de Bordeaux and affirm in passing that he "won't let go". A first in the history of football. And who obviously still gave grain to grind to his detractors between his “popopopo” all match long on his sidelines or his “sicuramente (surely)” to each question from a journalist at a press conference. An attitude and responses that have already earned him the worst mockery from his own supporters on social networks for weeks. As if the club, already mocked all the time, needed that.
Since Vladimir Petkovic specifies that the lion is his astrological sign, let's take a look at his daily horoscope pic.twitter.com/wVqtjjLRvQ
— Vincent Romain (@VinceRomain) January 16, 2022
This at least had the merit of showing how completely lost the former Nati coach seems today. Unable to get his team out of a dead end which leads it "straight into Ligue 2" to use the words of its defender Enock Kwateng after the rout in Rennes (6-0). A nasty spanking synonymous with the second historic defeat in the space of a week, after that against OM. It is indeed the biggest defeat of the club for almost 36 years. If Gérard Lopez, the owner and president of the Marine et Blanc, has been increasing his attacks on his players in recent days, he will have to seriously consider the question of his coach, whom he has been supporting since day one. Because the question is inevitable today: Vladimir Petkovic, worst coach in the history of the club in the elite (14,3% of victories), is he still really the man for the job?
His relationship with the players? “It's nothingness! »
For most Bordeaux supporters, no. For management, yes so far. In the midst of all this, the Ultramarines expressed their "very serious doubts" about the Swiss but without (yet) demanding his resignation. However, Vladimir Petkovic is increasingly indefensible, like his team which last weekend became the worst defense in the five biggest European championships (50 goals conceded in 21 games, 2.35 goals per game). Of course, there are many individual errors. But the coach also has a large part of the responsibility when, after six months, his team has still not managed a clean sheet (match without conceding a goal). A few weeks ago, a scene had particularly struck the regulars of Haillan.After another defeat against Brest (and a first rant from the management) and when the Girondins were already taking on water everywhere, the Bordeaux coach had not seen fit to work on the defensive aspect urgently, before a new perilous trip to Strasbourg. This had "drove crazy" Jaroslav Plasil, one of the deputies, said a witness to the session at the time.
The physical state of his troops also raises serious questions, his players do not win a duel. Even if the club's physical trainer (Antonio Calado) is widely singled out – “he doesn't have the level at all”, explains someone close to the team – it is his responsibility. This same person also adds that Vladimir Petkovic and his Portuguese deputy “regularly contradict each other”. Internally, it is simply said that it is up to the players to acclimatize to a new way of working. Finally, the most worrying thing is surely its management. Beyond his own players who complain about almost identical training from one week to the next, the Swiss does not transmit anything. He hasn't flinched in 21 games as his team sometimes puts up poor performances. Worse,he releases absolutely nothing from his bench during the matches, as if he did not know what to do.
His relationship with the players? “It's nothingness! “says a member of the club. He does not rely on any particular player to get his messages across, only Jaroslav Plasil tries to maintain a link between the staff and the players with the help of Admar Lopes. If the tactical skills of Vladimir Petkovic are not called into question (although), his management questions in a race to maintain. Where a strong figure is needed, a point of reference for the players on a daily basis, without falling into caricature like other coaches, they have a smooth and above all cold character in front of them. Would he have forgotten that we do not manage a club like a selection? Can he force his nature to move his team? For the moment, in response, he is silent and does not wish to fuel criticism.
A faithful “pawn”… which could also be (very) expensive
Faced with this observation, is the position of the management to support it so surprising? Yes and no. Gérard Lopez and his technical director, Admar Lopez, are not fooled. They know football and fire a coach, they know how to do (cf. Marcelo Bielsa at Losc in 2017). Under similar conditions, El Loco had been replaced by Christophe Galthier to lead the maintenance operation. Except that there is a difference today, and it is significant. Unlike the current Leeds coach, Vladimir Petkovic has never stepped out of line: "He is still in the project, he has not made any difference, especially in his communication, he is still aligned with his bosses", says someone close to management. It is for this reason that the detractors of the Girondins de Bordeaux claim that he is above all only a "pawn".A pawn who accepts everything from his management (recruits at the last minute, imposed staff members including a goalkeeper coach almost unfit for football practice, players dismissed including his own captain, etc.). Some even go so far as to say that he does not make the team…
The other reason for this support is of course financial. Gérard Lopez may shout loudly that dismissing his coach is not a question of big money because he is there to build for the long term, the Spanish-Luxembourg businessman will not deceive anyone on the subject. Vladimir Petkovic does not have such a good contract as Paulo Sousa at the time, but he would still earn nearly 150,000 euros a month. With two and a half years left on the contract, his dismissal would cost the club between 4 and 5 million euros at the very least. Even if necessarily the sum is likely to drop in the event of negotiations, it would remain enormous for a club like the Girondins de Bordeaux. According to information from
20 Minutes,
in any case, this is still not the trend and no negotiations have been opened at this time.
More generally, the entourage of Gérard Lopez repeats not “to feel a worried president but rather someone determined ready to get his club out of this quagmire.
And for now, still with the help of Vladimir Petkovic…
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Coupet arrives in Bordeaux
Former international goalkeeper Grégory Coupet joined the technical staff of the Girondins de Bordeaux on Monday where he will take care of the goalkeepers of the professional team.
At 49, the one who was stationed in Dijon (L2) "replaces the Portuguese Vitor Pereira who will occupy new functions within the club".
Trained in Saint-Étienne, the international with 34 caps (from 2001 to 2008) spent most of his career in Lyon where he won seven league titles, a Coupe de France and a Coupe de la Ligue, before join Atletico Madrid then Paris SG.
After his playing career, Coupet was a consultant before becoming goalkeeper coach at OL in 2016, then at Dijon in 2020.
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Gerard Lopez
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Girondins of Bordeaux
Ligue 1 Uber Eats
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