Laurent Blanc is back in French football after six years away, replacing Peter Bosz as head coach of Olympique Lyonnais. Can the former Ligue 1 Uber Eats winner get les Gones back on their feet?
Blanc was a FIFA World Cup winner as a centre-back and sweeper with France in 1998, featuring for the likes of Barcelona, Olympique de Marseille, Inter Milan and Manchester United at club level.
And he was successful as a manager too, winning Ligue 1 Uber Eats with unfancied Girondins de Bordeaux in 2009 before lifting three league titles at Paris Saint-Germain's helm between 2014 and 2016, the latter two part of a French domestic treble.
His period at PSG came to an end when he failed to steer them past Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League in 2016, and after a hiatus from the game, and a two-year stint in Qatar with Al-Rayyan, 'Le Président' is glad to be back at a top club in a major European league.
A man of his own mind
"You know, if I haven't taken over a club from Paris or in Europe [since leaving PSG], it's down to me, because I've had offers," the 56-year-old told beIN SPORTS recently. "But after Paris, it took me some time to get over it a little bit."
Blanc could prove to be a significant upgrade on Bosz, and for more than one reason. He gained his Présidential nickname when a defender at Marseille due to his leadership skills, and his ability to gee up his players shouldn't be understated.
His trophy cabinet glistens significantly more than Bosz's did, and if that doesn't guarantee more silverware to follow, it is at least testament to the fact the Blanc has got the best out of his players before now.
Watch: Zlatan's Top 5 Goals in Ligue 1 Uber Eats
Zlatan Ibrahimovic played his best football under Blanc, scoring 121 of his 156 PSG goals during Le Président's Parc des Princes reign, as well as contributing 44 of his 61 assists in all competitions.
Strike partnership ahead?
And if getting a tune out of a prime Zlatan might have been achieved by many a coach, consider the fact that Marouane Chamakh and Fernando Cavenaghi scored 13 goals each as a strike partnership for Bordeaux in the 2008/09 season. Neither hit the same heights at subsequent clubs Arsenal and Real Mallorca.
The fact Blanc is also happy to utilise a strike partnership should be music to the ears of Moussa Dembélé. The former Celtic man has largely played second fiddle to Alexandre Lacazette since the latter returned from Arsenal this summer, but should now get significant minutes alongside him.
Cherki chuffed?
Rayan Cherki's ears will also have pricked up. Long regarded as one of the brightest prospects in French football, he only made four Ligue 1 Uber Eats starts under Bosz. For misunderstood genius, look no further than Yoann Gourcuff, who had 12 goals and 11 assists the season Bordeaux won the league.
"The entire professional group with the confidence of the Board of Directors, supported by the fan groups and the entire OL family, will have the sole objective at the heart of this very difficult period to reposition the club at the highest French level and return to the European Cup next season," Lyon posted on their official website.
They are unlikely to be disappointed.