RC Lens women: massive purge after relegation — Sportopod
RC Lens women: 18 departures and 12 arrivals in one day
Relegated to the Second League, the Artesian club is carrying out a complete overhaul of its squad under the direction of Loïc Fiévet to aim for an immediate recovery.
The women's RC Lens is not slow to erase the traces of a catastrophic season. Relegated to the Second League, the club carried out an overhaul of its squad on an unprecedented scale this Tuesday, simultaneously announcing the departure of eighteen players and the arrival of twelve new recruits. This massive purge, orchestrated in a single day, marks management's desire to radically erase the errors that led to the decline.
Loïc Fiévet, the new coach put in place to lead this reconstruction, now has a completely transformed group. The toll is heavy: eighteen departures means an almost total break with the old core, while the twelve signings fill the voids and bring essential new blood. This digital upheaval demonstrates a rare reactivity on the women's transfer market, where clubs often struggle to decide so quickly after relegation.
The arrival of Fiévet seals the pragmatic approach chosen by RC Lens to deal with the crisis. Rather than trying to save the furniture with a demobilized workforce, the club chose the sporting “big bang” option. This high-risk strategy aims to create a collective identity from scratch, free from past habits.
The players will have to adapt instantly to the demands of a coach who has not spared his ambitions for the future. The next crucial step will be the integration of this diverse collective on the ground. The challenge for women's RC Lens is twofold: tactically assimilate twelve elements in record time and aim for immediate promotion to the first division.
The Second League season promises to be a test of fire for this overhauled team, where each match will serve as a gauge of the success of this unprecedented purge. This brutal overhaul is part of a recent trend in French women's football, where relegations push clubs to make radical choices. After FC Fleury 91 in 2023, Lens is the second women's Ligue 2 club to carry out such a purge in less than two years.
The Amateur Football League (LFA) is closely observing these movements, aware that rapid results are becoming a priority to avoid the economic collapse of structures. The twelve new recruits come from various clubs: three from Division 1, five from Division 2, and four from abroad, notably from Germany and the Netherlands. This geographic and competitive diversity reflects a targeted recruitment strategy, aimed at filling the technical gaps identified during the previous season.
Among the signings, we note the arrival of two Belgian internationals and an experienced midfielder from PSV Eindhoven, a rare profile in the French championship. The mix of profiles from D1 and abroad constitutes a daring gamble on a tactical level. Integrating players accustomed to the German and Dutch championships, often technically superior but physically less harsh than the French D2, will require rigorous adaptation.
Fiévet will have to deal with disparate playing cultures to establish his high pressure, otherwise his defense will be exposed by more physical Artesian or Breton teams. Loïc Fiévet quickly imposed his style of play, based on high pressing and aggressive possession. "We are not looking to reproduce the past, but to build something new.
The group must absorb these changes in a maximum of two weeks before the first official match," he said during the recruits' presentation. This statement confirms the time pressure weighing on the team, usually faced with a tight schedule in the Second League. The reaction of Lensois supporters remains measured.
While some salute the courage of management, others are concerned about the lack of sporting continuity. “It feels like a coup with no guarantee of results,” confides a historic subscriber. The club is banking on rapid results to reassure its public, with a first match scheduled for September 7 against US Orléans.
The season promises to be an obstacle course. In addition to integrating new players, RC Lens will have to manage a dense schedule in the Second League, where matches take place every three days on average. The objective of immediate recovery requires flawless physical and tactical preparation, otherwise the season will be turned upside down from the first matches.
The issue goes beyond the simple sporting framework: it is a question of economic survival for the women's section. An additional season on the lower level could sign the death warrant for the ambitions of the Racing Club de Lens in this sector, the sponsors being fond of the media visibility that only the D1 guarantees. This radical overhaul is therefore not a choice, but an obligation to achieve results to validate the club's investment model with its financial partners.
This movement also illustrates the growing tensions between sporting ambitions and economic constraints. Relegated clubs often have to deal with reduced budgets, while aiming for a rapid recovery to avoid additional financial losses. RC Lens is banking on this overhaul to relaunch its attractiveness and attract new partners, despite the risks inherent in such a strategy. Read at L'Équipe Mercato
Why this matters
This massive purge at RC Lens women illustrates the violence of modern football and the ruthless reaction of a club to failure. By replacing more than two thirds of its workforce in a few hours, Lens sends an unequivocal message about its reconstruction ambitions. This fundamental movement, supervised by Loïc Fiévet, will serve as a textbook case for the management of relegations: favoring total renewal rather than transition. The future will tell whether this therapeutic shock will allow a rapid return to the top or whether it will plunge the club into chronic instability. This strategy also reflects a profound change in French women's football, where clubs no longer have the luxury of patience after relegation, under penalty of seeing their economic model quickly crumble.
Frequently asked
Who is the new coach of RC Lens women?
Loïc Fiévet takes the reins of the team. He oversaw the radical overhaul of the squad following the club's relegation to the Second League.
How many players have left the club?
RC Lens announced the departure of 18 players in a single day. This wave of departures follows relegation and aims to rejuvenate the squad.
What is RC Lens' objective for this season?
The main objective is to rebuild a competitive team under the leadership of Loïc Fiévet. The club is aiming for a rapid return to the first division after this purge.
Where do RC Lens' new recruits come from?
The twelve new players come from various clubs: three from Division 1, five from Division 2, and four from abroad (Germany, Netherlands).
When will RC Lens women play their first match after this overhaul?
The first official match is scheduled for September 7 against US Orléans.
Why did RC Lens choose such a radical overhaul?
Management opted for a sporting “big bang” strategy to erase the mistakes of the previous season and rebuild a collective identity from scratch, without compromise.
