Changing of the Garde in Lyon

Remi Garde

Remi Garde assumed control of boyhood club Lyon today before vowing to return them to title-winning ways. The club dominated the first decade of the new millennium with seven Ligue 1 titles but have not won one since 2008.

A third-placed finish last term represented a slight improvement but Garde has been charged with taking them back to the top as he succeeds Claude Puel. "I am very happy and proud to accept this challenge that the entire club offered me," the former OL defender said at his presentation.

"This is a highlight for me. I feel at home here and of course it is a mission that is very important. But I do not feel alone because everyone at the club trusts me. It's a change, a major leap, but I feel ready to do it now."

He added: "The goals for this season are still very high. We're here to win titles. I'm at a great club that I grew up with. The goal is to find some values, a state of mind that perhaps, in spite of ourselves, we had lost."

Garde also paid tribute to Arsene Wenger, his coach at Arsenal in the late 1990s, as he embarks on his maiden managerial role. "Arsene Wenger showed me that without having fun, it is hard to get results and good performance," he said.

The club finally severed ties with Puel on Monday following a complex arbitration process and have wasted no further time in appointing his successor. The six-time France international made 145 appearances in Les Gones' midfield before moving on to Strasbourg and then Arsenal.

The 45-year-old has been in charge of Lyon's youth academy and was officially presented by club president Jean-Michel Aulas. Puel left having failed to win a trophy since succeeding Alain Perrin in 2008.

Lyon had won the French title seven times in a row from 2002 prior to Puel's appointment, but his style of football and lack of success brought him few admirers at Stade Gerland.