Ligue 1 special: A look at newly-promoted Ligue 1 side Dijon FCO
The 2011/2012 French Ligue 1 season starts on August 6, 2011. Though the new season is still days away, most of the clubs are still far away from ending their activity in the transfer window.
Last season in the Ligue 2 championship, Dijon came third with 62 points while Le Mans also had the same amount of points. However, the Cote d’Or club’s superior goal difference won them promotion to Ligue 1.
Promotion to the top level of French football is a historic rise of a club that not many people in Europe know of. This is the first time that the Burgundy club is playing in the Ligue 1 and the club’s first objective would obviously be to maintain its status
as a top flight team by the end of the 2011/2012 campaign.
Club president Bernard Gnecchi has made it no secret that he wants his team to reach higher than 17th place next season. Unlike fellow newly-promoted side Evian TG, Dijon have very much renewed most of its workforce.
The club has done well in signing some talented and experienced player this summer – a move that could pay dividends when league football kicks off this August.
Abdoulaye Meite has returned to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/France-c2899 after decent stints at English Premier League sides Bolton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion. The 30-year-old Ivorian international would be a great addition to the Dijon side and would definitely play an important
role in leading the rearguard next season.
Japanese international Daisuke Matsui has also joined DFCO on a two-year deal. The 30-year-old winger has a lot of experience of playing in the Ligue 1 after good stints at Le Mans and AS Saint-Etienne.
The arrival of Gregory Thil from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/US-Boulogne-c40838 would definitely give Patrice Carteron’s side a great attacking option. The 31-year-old striker is a proven goalscorer and will be looking up to fellow-new signing Younousse Sankhare (from PSG) to provide him
with the right passes.
The departure of Uruguayan midfielder Sebastian Ribas has definitely left a big hole in the Dijon midfield but overall, coach Patrice Carteron has done extremely well in bringing in experienced players to the Stade Gaston http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gerard-c14664 when one considers that the
French tactician had a transfer budget of only 20 million Euros for this summer’s shopping.
The fear in the minds of most of the DFCO supporters would be if coach Patrice Carteron will have enough time to field a perfect side that can assure the club’s survival in Ligue 1 next season.
Probable starting XI for 2011/2012
Goalkeeper
Jean-Daniel Padovani
Defenders
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Samuel-Souprayen-c32417 (left-back), Abdoulaye Meite (centre-back), Steven Paulle (Centre-back), Cedric Varrault (right-back).
Midfielders
Eric Bautheac (left-wing), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Younousse_Sankhar%C3%A9 (central midfield), Benjamin Corgnet (central midfield), http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Daisuke-Matsui-c9731 (left-wing)
Strikers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gr%C3%A9gory_Thil,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brice_Jovial
Player to watch: Abdoulaye Meite
The 30-year-old Ivorian international would be crucial to Dijon’s chances of surviving in the Ligue 1. The experienced defender has experience of playing in the French Ligue 1 with Marseille and after having made 48 appearances for the Cote d’Ivoire national
side, the centre-back is the right person to lead Dijon’s defence next season.
The jury is still out on the newly-promoted side but the recent signings made by the Cote d'Or club have given the fans a real hope of a good first campaign in the topflight of French football.
In Sankhare, Meite and Matsui, DFCO have experienced players who would play an essential part in the club's aim to maintain its topflight status by the end of the 2011/2012 campaign.
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