RC Lens President Joseph Oughourlian Discusses Season Success and Critiques Ligue 1 Management
RC Lens President and owner Joseph Oughourlian recently spoke with L’Equipe to reflect on the team’s remarkable Ligue 1 season. Under their guidance, Lens not only contested PSG for the league title but also secured their first Coupe de France victory. Looking ahead, the Artois club is set to return to the Champions League next season under new German head coach Dino Toppmöller, following the departure of Pierre Sage to Crystal Palace.
Oughourlian revealed that Lens has received interest from a “major” Premier League club, likely related to a multi-club ownership model similar to the one utilized by BlueCo-owned Chelsea with Strasbourg. However, the 54-year-old rejected the proposal, asserting that such a transaction would compromise Lens’ identity. “We’re France, World Cup semi-finalists, the country that produces the most players in the world; we should aim for something other than being the Premier League’s B league.“
In addition to discussing the club’s future, Oughourlian voiced his concerns regarding the management of Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) and its president, former Marseille executive Vincent Labrune. He criticized the league, stating, “The league is extremely poorly managed.“
The RC Lens owner also explained his decision to resign from the LFP’s board, stating, “I can’t be on a board that rubber-stamps decisions that make absolutely no sense.” He pointed to the LFP’s controversial decision to postpone Lens’ home match against league leaders PSG during the title race. “I have nothing to do with a league that’s shooting itself in the foot for who knows what. If you don’t respect yourselves, if you spend your time criticizing your own channel and do nothing for your product, you shouldn’t expect others to value it.“