Updated 30th June RED STAR BACK IN DIVISION TWO ? Concerning the definitive decision whether Gazélec Ajaccio are promoted into D2, the League will announce Thursday the future of the Corsican club. If Ajaccio do go up, then Red Star 93 have a good chance of staying in D2, because the league does not want to have a championship of twenty-one clubs. Valence are already confirmed in D2, so there is still a slim hope for Red Star. This explains why at the time of writing Red Star have not acted on the transfer front.The level of recruitment will differ if the club plays in D2 or the National. Updated 29th June BACK TO WORK II. Yesterday morning pre-season preparations begin under the auspices of coach Jean-Luc Girard. Forteen players reported for the first outing including Joël André, a reserve player from Châteauroux (CFA2) and a player from Racing 92 present solely to keep in shape. Farid Soudani started on the long road to recovery with some light jogging. Franck Busuttil was absent, linked with a possible move abroad, as is the case with 'keeper Stéphane Lucas, transferred to Spain. The need to recruit now becomes desperate if the club really wants to be competitive in the National.
Updated 28th June BACK TO WORK. Training and preparation for the new season starts today at 10am Stade Marville. Coach Jean-Luc Girard is looking to build his plans around the products of Red Stars' youth policy, such as Saci, Pizzo, Diawara, Busuttil and Meïté. Updated 22nd June LATEST. Camille Oponga should stay with the club , but David Giraudo and Fabien Valéri are due to leave for pastures new. The possible recruit from Aubervilliers has not yet been finalized. Back to training is planned for Tuesday the 28th June at Marville, the players then leave for training from the 11th to the 17th of July. Updated 18th June RELEGATION CONFIRMED. The Direction National de Contrôle de Gestion yesterday reversed their earlier decision to demote AS Cannes into the National. This means that Red Star are officially relegated into the equivalent of Division Three. The status of professionalism will be maintained and a budget of 15.5MF (£1.5M) has been accepted by the DNCG. Jean-Luc Girard can now begin to prepare for the future. Also the club can recrute, with one of the biggest budgets in the division they can attract the better players (cf budget of five and a half million francs proposed by newly-promoted Evry). Red Star have the reserves to bounce back - with crowds of two thousand which shouldn't change that much all is set for a quick return. Kick off - Saturday 7th August.
Updated 17th June BOUISSET Guillaume Bouisset confirmed his move to Amiens by signing a two year deal with the Picardy club today. He arrived from Guingamp at the start of last season, scored six memorable goals, all from free-kicks. Best wishes to him for the future, with an ambitious club which is going places. Updated 16th June AGASSON. Kelton Ted Agasson, the Red Star midfield player has signed a two year contract with D2 club Lille. Updated 15th June PONTIVY. Congratulations to Pontivy who for the first time in their existence will play in the National next season. A three-all draw at Reims followed by a penalty shoot-out gave them their ticket for a potential clash with the mighty Red Star. Reims could still be admitted if any of the other clubs in the National are demoted. Updated 14th June RED STAR PLAYER IN GREATEST ALL-TIME FRENCH TEAM. No, it's not a dream, it's true, a Red Star player has recently been voted by journalists of L'Equipe magazine into the greatest all-time French side. He's goalkeeper Julien Darui, winner of the French Cup in 1942 and his selection rates higher then Fabien Bartez ! The line-up is as follows: Darui, Thuram, Trésor, Desailly, Bossis, Tigana, Kopa, Platini, Zidane, Fontaine, Papin.. A real honour for Red Star.
From today, a Nantes player will be on trial with the club, Stephane Lucas has signed with Oviedo (Division 1 Spain) for three years. As for Franck Busutill, for the moment he has refused to sign a professional contract with Red Star. If he persists, then his only option will be to play abroad.
Jean-Luc Girard isn't too worried by the shortage of players at training. At the moment training largely consists of getting players back together again, and the heavy work starts with the training camp in July. Then he will have the squad with which he can tackle the forthcoming championship, whether it be in D2 or National.
Friendlies arranged: 9th July against the UNFP (at Saint-Gratien ?); 13th July at Beauvais; 17th July against Racing 92 (tba); 19th against " an English club " (the mighty Worksop Town ?); 27th July versus Paris FC at Stade Marville. League starts 7th August.
Up to press four pre-season friendlies have been arranged; versus the UNFP (team of footballers currently looking for new clubs). Beauvais - Red Star 93 at Chaumonteil (Oise) the 13th July then Racing - Red Star 93, same place the 17th at 6pm CET. Finally the 27th July Red Star 93- Paris FC, at Stade Marville (time tba). There should be two others planned before the 7th August, start of the new season. The Reserves begin their season in CFA2 the weekend of the 14th / 15th August.
SIGNINGS. New players could be announced this week.
G. Valck
BACK TO WORK. Red Star go back to training the 28th June with a spell at the Gulf of Mont-Griffon at Viarmes.
On the subject of the future of Red Star, things should be clearer after tomorrow when AS Cannes present their provisional budget before the DNCG. We wait with bated breath.
G. Valck
G. Valck