Saïd Mehamha, a former player trained at the Olympique Lyonnais training centre for nearly two decades, today expresses his incomprehension with the club’s current strategy for its academy. After an audit conducted by Nasser Larguet to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the training, Olympique Lyonnais aims to revitalize its centre, in particular by bringing the young players of Décines closer together in order to motivate them and facilitate exchanges with the first team. The former Rhodanians, who left in Algeria in 2012, observed the evolution of the formation from afar and now sees a generational hollow, a situation which he has detailed and which causes him a deep sadness, especially after having known the methods of emblematic figures like José Broissart and Rémy Garde.

The experience of Said Mehamha is marked by a persistent bitterness related to his departure from the club in 2012. He feels betrayed by the sport project initially presented, having given up opportunities with prestigious European clubs such as Barcelona or Arsenal to remain faithful to Olympique Lyonnais. This decision, which he regrets, resulted in an unjustified separation due, in his view, to unfulfilled promises. Today, he has embarked on a project from his own academy, supported by Nabil Fekir, a former iconic player of the club, which demonstrates his unbroken passion for football and the training of young talent.

Despite his distance and his sense of betrayal, Said Mehamha does not question the quality of the successive trainers. He stressed that the problem lay in a comprehensive strategy which, he said, had contributed to the decline of the language training. His poignant testimony highlights a period of transition and raises questions about the evolution of values and commitments within the club, while at the same time attesting to his deep attachment to Olympique Lyonnais and his legacy.