Bernard Lama

Biography

Native in metropolis in the Saint-Symphorien-on-Loire (village now incorporated in the town of Turns), Bernard passes his childhood and his adolescence in Guyana. Initially player of field, it adopts the station of goalkeeper tardily.

1981-1992: beginnings

It leaves Guyana at 18 years to join LOSC in 1981 where it has evil to be essential. In 1989, it joined FC Metz. It takes part the following year in the last season of Brest in the first division. It is at the time of the following season (1991 - 1992) that it is pointed out by the Parisian leaders who propose to him a five year old contract with PSG.

1992-1996: its great years

Bernard Lama appears with the general public by integrating the rows of the Paris Saint-Germain in 1992, thus succeeding emblematic the Joel Bats in the cages of the club of the capital. With the PSG, the career of LAMA takes a new dimension: it takes part in the Cut of Europe and is quickly called in team of France by Gerard Houllier. In February 1993, it honors its first national selection with Tel-Aviv against Israel (victory 4-0) within the framework with the eliminating heats for the World cup 1994.

Bernard Lama knows the apogee of her career in 1996. With Paris Saint-Germain first of all: after several brilliant but unfruitful European campaigns, Bernard Lama gains the Coupe of Europe of the winners of cut. With the Blue ones also, where during the Euro 1996, Bernard Lama is affirmed quite simply like one of the best goalkeepers of planet. Capable of spectacular parades, but also of authoritative aerial sorties, in a style all in flexibility, LAMA is in particular the hero of the quarterfinal against the Netherlands gained with the shootings with the goals.

1996-1998: the hour of the doubt

The continuation is more delicate for LAMA. Coveted by FC Barcelona, there remains faithful to the PSG. In September 1996, its excellent beginning of the season is stopped Net by a serious wound with the knee. In spite of a fast convalescence, LAMA will never find truly the level which was it his. Then in January 1997, whereas it is of return to the competition, it is controlled positive with the Cannabis. During the summer, while LAMA purges its suspension, Paris Saint-Germain makes him understand that Christophe Revault will be the new titular guard of the club and invites it to seek a new team.

After several unfruitful contacts, LAMA is found without club with starts season 1997-1998. And if it remains in Paris, it is to involve itself with the variation of the occupational class. During the winter, and whereas the World cup approaches, LAMA finds finally a team to accommodate it, in fact the London club of West Ham United. But not very sensitive to the prestigious states of service of the French guard, the trainer of West Ham relegates LAMA on the bench of the substitutes.

LAMA must wait several weeks for finally conquering a place of holder and finding the contact with the team of France. But if it is quite present in the list of the 22 players convened by Aimé Jacquet to dispute the World cup 1998, it is as a lining of Fabien Barthez, the new titular guard. LAMA will be thus crowned world champion without disputing the least match. It will be even in the middle of a small polemic while refusing to play the match against the Denmark (last match of the first turn, without real issue, and during which Jacquet made play the substitutes).

1998-2001: end of a career

Leaving the World cup 1998, Bernard Lama benefits from the change of management to the head of Paris Saint-Germain (Charles Biétry substitute Michel Denisot) to find the cages of the club of the capital. In a club in perpetual crisis, it will not find the sporting tops of its great years.

In 2000, he adds a new international title to his prize list by gaining the Euro 2000. Again lining of Fabien Barthez, it agrees this time to dispute the last match of the first turn, without real stake, against the Netherlands.

Whereas he announces (in a more or less spontaneous way) his international retreat after the Euro, (he celebrates his last selection in team of France in March 2001), he signs a last contract with the Stade of Rennes where he finds his former fellow-member Paul Le Guen become trainer. At the end of one only and very good season of Rennes, Bernard Lama definitively hangs up again the gloves to go to settle in Groanec after a passage to Lanniliz.

The July 21st 2006, it becomes the selector of the team of Kenya, a station which it will leave two months later, denouncing the disorder reigning with the Kenyan federation.

Career

Career of player

before 1981: USL Montjoly
1981-1982 : Lille OSC
1982-1983: SC Abbeville
1983-1984: Besancon RC (23 matches/no goal)
1984-1989: Lille OSC (103/1)
1989-1990: FC Metz (38/0)
1990-1991: Brest-native Stage (38/0)
1991-1992: RC Lens (36/1)
1992-1997: Paris Saint-Germain (221/0)
1997-1998: West Ham United England (12/0)
1998-2000: Paris Saint-Germain (65/0)
2000-2001: Stage Of Rennes (32/0)

1993-2000 : (44 selections)

Career of trainer

2006 :

Prize list

Champion of France D1 1994 with the PSG
Vice-champion of France D1 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000 with the PSG
Victorious of the Coupe de France 1993, 1995 with the PSG
international Tournoi of Paris 1993 with the PSG
Vainqueur of the Coupe Kirin 1994 with the team of France has
Vainqueur Cut of the Cuts 1996 with the PSG
Finaliste of the Cut of the Cuts 1997 with the PSG
World champion 1998 with the team from France
Champion of Europe 2000 with the team of France has
44 selections in team of France has 1993 with 2001, 2 times captain

23 matches in Division 2 (Besancon, 1983-1984)
489 matches in Division 1 (Lille, Metz, Brest, Lens, PSG, Rennes, 1985 to 2001)
2 goals in Division 1 (Lille, 1988-1989 and Lens, 1991-1992)
12 matches in First League (West Ham United, 1997-1998)
10 matches in UEFA Cup (PSG, 1992-1993)
24 matches out of Cut of the Cuts (PSG, 1993 to 1999)
12 matches of Cut of the Champions (PSG, 1994-1995)

2 selections equips FIFA with it, vis-a-vis Australia in Sydney in 1999, and vis-a-vis Bosnia in Sarajevo in 2000.

Distinctions

“Better French player” according to the magazine France Football in 1994
“gold Guard” France Football in 2000

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