It was expected, it is now official. As we announced two days ago, Noël Le Graët, aged 79, formalized his candidacy for a fourth term on Thursday, in a letter to football families (clubs, leagues and districts, unions, High Authority, etc.).
“After having widely consulted the players in French football in recent weeks and the members of the Executive Committee of the FFF this morning, I decided to request the renewal of your confidence, by presenting my candidacy for the presidency of our Federation”, writes in particular the manager, at the head of the body since 2011 and re-elected in 2012 and 2017.
There was no suspense and it was only a matter of days. As we revealed on Tuesday, Noël Le Graët has, well, confirmed this Thursday during the Comex, his decision to run on March 13 to his own succession as president of the French Football Federation (FFF).
In front of him, Frédéric Thiriez and Michel Moulin
The former president of Guingamp and of the Professional Football League (LFP) had replaced Fernand Duchaussoy in 2011. At 79, the Breton who again showed last spring during the debates on the end of the championships, that he weighed of enormous weight on French football, will therefore seek a new mandate. Jean-Michel Aulas, Marc Keller, respectively presidents of Lyon or Strasbourg, or the former international Brigitte Henriques, members of the Comex, should again be part of his list.
Before the date for submitting applications on February 11, two competitors at Noël Le Graët had already declared themselves: Frédéric Thiriez, the former president of the LFP who puts forward amateur football in his campaign, and the man of business Michel Moulin, current deputy chairman of Blois (N2) and former ephemeral sports advisor to PSG or Le Mans. The latter is leading a rather offensive campaign with shocking statements and notably includes David Douillet, Max Guazzini or Fabien Barthez among his supporters.
Its slogan: “The club at the heart of the game”
The Le Graët Christmas list entitled “NLG Team” has the slogan: “The club at the heart of the game”. In a letter addressed to the various clubs that we have obtained, he explained the reasons for his candidacy and his objectives in a context made complicated by the health crisis and the resulting economic difficulties for the clubs:
“After having widely consulted the players in French football in recent weeks, and the members of the FFF Executive Committee this morning, I have decided to ask for the renewal of your confidence, by presenting my candidacy for the presidency of our Federation. The mandate that will open will take place in an unprecedented context. The entire world of amateur and professional football is hit hard by the consequences of the health crisis, to which are added problems specific to our environment. The methods that worked yesterday, in a stable and growing environment, cannot be applied tomorrow.
This mandate will also be an exciting mandate. Football is above all the pleasure of playing, of meeting up, of sharing. It is a school of living together and a great place for education. Maintaining this flame is a permanent, daily job, in a difficult social context, and you, the leaders in the field, know it better than anyone. The challenges are immense because so are social expectations, and no one underestimates their difficulty. The dynamics of our sport are real. Since the Covid, we have noticed a more difficult situation but, in recent seasons, we have experienced a permanent growth in our licensees, especially among young people who are both high-level athletes and especially the citizens of tomorrow. It is to them that we are responsible, and it is for them that we must act.
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»I know I have the experience, the energy and the passion to build a team that meets your expectations and challenges. She will give you a true, honest, non-demagogic, pragmatic, but also resolutely constructive and optimistic speech for the future of French football. Because despite the difficulties that we are experiencing, our football, which has already done a lot, contains all the assets to meet the challenges that are presented to us. “
