“Incompatible With This Team” – Magic Troyes Supporters Unhappy with Promotional Activities in Manchester City’s Multi-Club Model

In a bold move, Magic Troyes FC underwent a major change in ownership dynamics when the City Football Group (CFG) took the reins in September 2020. CFG’s chief executive, Ferran Soriano, was ecstatic about the addition of Troyes to their already impressive footballing empire. The prospect of their club rubbing shoulders with top soccer clubs was a thrilling prospect.

However, the initial excitement was short-lived as unrest and disappointment soon settled in. Despite the success of popular coach Laurent Batlles, who had led the team to a championship win in the Ligue 2, tensions brewed between him and the ownership over player recruitment. These internal conflicts foreshadowed the turbulent period that was to follow.

A period of great turmoil in Magic Troyes

After Batlles left, Bruno Irles stepped in and successfully stabilized the team’s performances in Ligue 1. Overcoming various challenges, Irles kept Troyes in the competition, but his time as coach was cut short. His successor, Patrick Kisnorbo, lacked experience in French football, causing concern among fans about the club’s direction under the influence of CFG.

“For the management, the sporting project had to go more quickly towards the City project,” Irles said. “There was a difference in points of view. I was convinced that it was incompatible with this team in Ligue 1.”

Kisnorbo’s reign proved to be disastrous, with a string of poor results and a growing disconnect with the fanbase. The team’s relegation from Ligue 1 was a harsh blow, made worse by CFG’s transfer strategy that focused on young talents loaned out to other clubs within the CFG network.

There were serious doubts about the club’s identity and future as they battled through relegation scares. The club is now merely a testing ground for CFG’S young talent, a sign of disrespect. There is no focus on positively growing the club. With a flood of inexperienced players and a lack of preparation for the challenges of the lower division, the loyalty of supporters dwindled further.

Amid this turmoil, the dismissal of Kisnorbo presented a glimmer of hope for Troyes’ rejuvenation. The appointment of David Guion, a seasoned and stable leader, instilled newfound optimism among fans. However, the road to recovery remains a daunting one, as Troyes grapples with its most severe crisis in decades.

Problems beyond the soccer field stop growth

Troyes’ struggle goes far beyond mere outcomes. It serves as a poignant example of a larger issue plaguing modern football. Where the club once embodied a sense of local pride and community, it now grapples with its identity as a subsidiary of a multinational conglomerate.

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The profound disappointment felt by Magic Troyes 1997, the devoted supporters of the club, serves as a reminder of the cost of corporate ownership in football. In today’s intricate landscape of football ownership, Troyes finds itself in a precarious position, a pawn in a game controlled by corporate entities.

CFG’s business model may be thriving, but the detrimental impact on communities like Troyes is far too high to ignore. The loyal fans must not continue to suffer in order to fill the pockets of the owners.

Amidst the uncertain future of the club, its loyal fans hold on to an unshakable faith that their beloved team will reclaim its autonomy and individuality. They are hopeful it will rise in value and not remain just a small part of a larger corporation. With unwavering conviction, fans believe that their club will triumph, reclaiming its spot in the rich history of French soccer.

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