Passed from his native Béarn to Saint-Etienne at the same time 18 years old, Jean-Michel Larqué will leave the Forez twelve years later, building one of the most beautiful list of French football with seven titles of champion of France, three French Cup and the unforgettable final of the Champion Clubs Cup in 1976.
According to Fleury Di Nallo, former striker of Olympique Lyonnais, the story between Jean-Michel Larqué and the Greens could have stopped in 1968 when the Béarnais midfielder was only 20 years old. The Greens were indeed visibly ready to let him go to attract the Lyonnaise goal machine.
Strong Rachid Mekhloufi was preparing to leave Saint-Etienne and Jean Snella, former coach of the Greens, had blew the name of the Gones player. And this while Fleury Di Nallo was in conflict with its leaders about its extension to OL. “” I am ashamed to say it now: I asked for 500 francs. (Charles) Frantz, the sports director, said to me: “You're a thief! Find a club that gives them to you! »»he said in the columns of The team.
Jean-Michel Larqué finally remained until 1977
“A friend said to me:” Wait, we will call the president of AS Saint-Etienne “, he continued. Roger Rocher replied: “Come quickly to my house in Saint-Genest-Malifaux (Loire). I went up. He asked me, “How much do you win?” “1.2 million francs. “I give you the double, triple bonus and I will offer 50 MF in Lyon, plus (Jean-Michel) Larqué and (Gérard) Farison. »»
The transfer was never done in the end. “My sports director reminded me and said:” We give you your 500 F. “and I never left for Saint-Étienne”concluded the former Lyonnais, who was finally going to stay in Lyon until 1974, the date of his departure for the Red Star. Jean-Michel Larqué played in Saint-Etienne until 1977 and his signature at PSG.
