Formalising the management of talent : the case of the LOSC

Lille has made a special place for itself in the limited group of French football clubs which aspire to the ranks of the European elite. Rather than trying frantically for good results and seeking the goodwill of the media, Lille's managers, who are strongly influenced by both business and sporting authorities, favoured the development of a meticulous method and the implementation of a model organisation both from a sporting and administrative point of view. Today, having worked consistently for the past seven years and qualified three times for the European Champion's League, the LOSC is recognised for the quality of its sports' projects and its training centre. These are the results of a formidable management policy which is still an exception in the world of professional sport.