L1 presidents ranked by longevity in office

Everything is going faster and faster in football. Gone are the days when coaches and players could stay at the same club for several years, if not for the entire career. The former have little time to put their game ideas in place, while the latter are very quickly attracted by new career prospects. Despite some changes to the position of President, such as OM or LOSCclubs are more of a continuity when it comes to this function, as evidenced by the longevity of those at the helm of the club. PSG, RC Lens, or even OL. Here is the ranking of Ligue 1 presidents according to their longevity in office.

Jean Michel Aulas, president of OL, has the greatest longevity in Ligue 1

In 1987, pushed by Bernard Tapie, Jean Michel Aulas bought Olympique Lyonnais. Then in the second division, the Rhone club will, under the impetus of its new president, very quickly become a flagship club of French football. Only two seasons after his arrival, the Gones reached Ligue 1 and continued their ascent. From 2002 to 2008, OL won seven French championship titles in a row, unheard of in the history of Ligue 1. Aulas built one of the finest teams in the history of French football. In office since July 1, 1987, that is to say 13,064 days, he is, by far, the leader of the elite of French football who has the greatest longevity.

Baptism of fire for Romain Chabane

Unlike his counterpart at SCO Angers, Romain Chabane, who is the president with the shortest longevity. And for good reason, he took the reins of the Angevin club on March 21, just 17 days ago. A takeover which follows the resignation of the former leader, who is none other than his father, Saïd Chabane. He said he was “exhausted” after a dozen at the head of the club. It is in a very complicated context that Romain Chabane is appointed head of Angers. Indeed, last in Ligue 1 9 days from the end of the championship, with 15 points behind the first non-relegation player, Angers is heading straight for Ligue 2. In the event of a descent, there is no doubt that he will want to know the same destiny as Jean Michel Aulas.

At OM and RC Lens, a different way of occupying the post of president

President is a function, and this can be exercised in different ways. Like Pablo Longoria, who is very involved in sports, it is he who is in charge of recruitment and sales during the transfer window. Or, it is possible to distance oneself from sporting decisions and delegate, as is the case at RC Lens, where the one who holds the position of president, Joseph Oughourlian, leaves the hand to the general manager. , Arnaud Pouille.

The ranking of Ligue 1 presidents according to their longevity in office

20. Romain Chabane (Angers SCO) = 17 days
19. Baptiste Malherbe (AJ Auxerre) = 239 days
18. Olivier Cloarec* (Stade Rennais) = 318 days
17. Aymeric Magne (Troyes) = 704 days
16. Pablo Longoria (OM) = 770 days
15. Olivier Létang (Lille) = 840 days
14. Damien Comolli (Toulouse FC) = 991 days
13. Jean Pierre Rivière (OGC Nice) = 1317 days
12. Ahmet Schaefer (Clermont) = 1486 days
11. Laurent Nicollin (Montpellier) = 2107 days
10. Denis Le Saint (Brestois Stadium) 2523 days
9. Joseph Oughourlian (RC Lens) = 2536 days
8. Marc Keller (RC Strasbourg) = 3932 days
7. Nasser Al Khelaifi (PSG) = 4172 days
6. Dmitry Rybolovlev (AS Monaco) = 4123 days
5. Alain Orsoni (AC Ajaccio) = 5370 days
4. Loïc Ferry (FC Lorient) = 4985 days
3. Waldemar Kita (FC Nantes) = 5732 days
2. Jean Pierre Caillot (Stade de Reims) = 6902 days
1. Jean Michel Aulas (OL) = 13064 days

* According a statement of Stade Rennais in May 2022, Nicolas Holveck, ill, put himself “temporarily withdrawn” from the presidency, until his recovery.