A LONG WAY FROM MONACO
Paul Scholes, quit after just 31 days, citing interference from Lemsagam, but Banide does not anticipate any problems.
He understands his role is to coach and to leave recruitment to Lemsagam, a former football agent, and his brother and sporting director Mohammed.
“I’ve a good relationship with the president,” said Banide, Oldham’s first foreign coach.
“I’m head coach, I work on the field. In France, we don’t have managers. Every time I was head coach and every time I work on the field.”
Banide can see the potential of Oldham, who have the distinction of being founder members of the Premier League, even though they are languishing in League Two, their lowest position since 1971.
Banide shares Lemsagam’s ambition for the club and is aiming for promotion.
“The target is to try and go up this year,” he said. “We will do our best to meet this challenge.
“Everything is possible. We must work with the young players, like I did at Monaco, because young players are the future.
“I know what I want and I will try to push the players with my offensive philosophy.”
Oldham, with its social deprivation, could hardly be more removed from the millionaires’ playground of Monaco, but that does not bother Banide.
“Maybe it’s different to Monaco, but a field is a field,” he said. “You work with the ball on the field and if you have good players and spirit, it’s the same. I’m here to work and I’m very happy to be here.”