Lyon names Garde as new coach
Former Lyon and Arsenal player Remi Garde was appointed as Lyon's new coach to succeed Claude Puel on Wednesday.
Garde, who was heading Lyon's youth academy, signed a one-year contract with the seven-time champions.
''I'm very happy and very proud to accept the challenge the club has proposed to me,'' Garde said. ''I know it won't be easy, but I have every confidence in my staff and the players. I've been a part of the OL family for a long time now. It's time to start work.''
Lyon fired Puel earlier this week, ending the coach's disappointing three-year tenure at the club.
Lyon reached the Champions League semifinals for the first time in 2010 but hasn't won a trophy since Puel took over from Alain Perrin, who led Lyon to the league and French Cup double in 2007-08.
The 45-year-old Garde started his career with Lyon where he played nine years before joining Strasbourg then Arsenal. He returned to the club in 2003 as a staff member.
''We are here to win titles,'' Garde said. ''I'm in a big club and our goal is to find again the values and the state of mind that maybe slipped away from us.''