France coach Roger Lemerre has applauded Steve Marlet’s decision to quit the Championnat for Fulham, believing the move can only enhance the striker’s already blossoming career. “He will progress at Fulham,” Lemerre said.
Critics in France suggested Marlet might be taking a risk leaving Lyon and swapping Champions’ League football and a chance to win the French league for the hurly-burly of the Premiership.
But Lemerre gave Marlet the thumbs-up from Santiago where Jean Tigana’s latest addition is due to join up with France squad on Wednesday for the friendly with Chile on Saturday.
“For me it’s a plus for Steve, even though he continued his progression at Lyon,” Lemerre said.
“I have been aware of the situation for a while, and I talked to Steve and to Jean Tigana about it. The move doesn’t open the door to the France team any wider, but it doesn’t close it either.”
In the past, Lemerre has suggested that players’ chances of earning international recognition would be greatly enhanced if, like Sabri Lamouchi and Claude Makelele, they decided to play abroad. And former Auxerre striker Marlet will consider Fulham as the perfect stage from which to add to his five caps and win a place in the France squad for the World Cup finals next summer.
As coach of Lyon, Tigana had criticised the club for not holding onto its best players after he left in 1995.
The £11.5 million signing of Marlet, following the earlier recruitment of Steed Malbranque from the Stade Gerland, showed he hadn’t forgotten the club’s weakness.
Lyon general manager Bernard Lacombe, though, said it was not possible to hold on to Marlet, who had been made an offer that was difficult to refuse. “You can’t keep a player against his will,” Lacombe said. “Juventus let Zidane go.”
