1. Player career
Rémi Garde's playing career spanned over a decade, marked by his roles as a versatile defender and defensive midfielder for several prominent French and English clubs, culminating in international appearances for France.
1.1. Club career
Garde played for three clubs during his professional career: Olympique Lyonnais, RC Strasbourg, and Arsenal. He contributed to league promotion and cup victories, showcasing his reliable performance.
1.1.1. Lyon
Born in L'Arbresle, Rhône, Garde began his playing career at his local club, Lyon, in 1982. Progressing through the youth ranks, he became a key player and helped the club achieve promotion to Ligue 1 in 1989. Playing as a defensive midfielder or sweeper, he eventually became the club's captain. He remained with Lyon until 1993, making 146 appearances and scoring 22 goals.
1.1.2. RC Strasbourg
In 1993, Garde moved to Strasbourg, where he spent three seasons. During his time there, he helped the team reach the Coupe de France final in 1995. In the summer of that year, Strasbourg also won the 1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup, defeating Austria's Admira Wacker in the final. He played 68 matches for Strasbourg, scoring 3 goals.
1.1.3. Arsenal
Garde transferred to Arsenal in England in August 1996, following a recommendation from his compatriot Arsène Wenger, who was not yet Arsenal's manager at that time but still managing Nagoya Grampus. Garde joined Arsenal on the same day as Patrick Vieira. Unlike Vieira, the 30-year-old Garde, who had undergone knee surgery two seasons prior and had limited appearances for Strasbourg in the preceding season, was signed as an experienced cover player rather than a future first-team regular.
Garde earned a reputation for his tidy and reliable performances, serving as a backup for players like Vieira and Emmanuel Petit in midfield, and occasionally filling in for injured players such as Lee Dixon at right-back. He made a total of 45 appearances across three seasons for Arsenal. He was a member of the Double-winning side during the 1997-98 season, making ten Premier League appearances, which was enough to qualify him for a winner's medal. He also made one appearance during Arsenal's FA Cup run, which came in the quarter-final replay against West Ham United. The match proceeded to a penalty shootout, and despite Garde missing his kick, Arsenal advanced. He was not part of the squad that won the 1998 FA Cup Final against Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium.
Plagued by persistent knee injuries and advancing age, Garde retired from professional football in June 1999. His retirement came shortly after Arsenal narrowly missed out on a second consecutive double, finishing second in the league and losing the FA Cup semi-final to Manchester United.
1.2. International career
Garde's international career with the France national team was brief but significant, including participation in a major European tournament. He made his debut for France at the 1990 Kuwait Tournament in Kuwait City. His first appearance was a 1-0 victory against the hosts, Kuwait, on 21 January. He earned six caps for his country and was included in the French squad for UEFA Euro 1992 held in Sweden. However, he did not play in any matches during the competition, where France was eliminated in the group stage.
2. Managerial career
After retiring as a player, Rémi Garde transitioned into coaching and management, leading teams in France, England, and North America.
2.1. Lyon
After a period working as a pundit on French television, Garde returned to his former club, Lyon, as a coach in 2003. In this capacity, he contributed to the club's Ligue 1 titles in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. Following the departure of manager Paul Le Guen in the summer of 2005, Garde became assistant to his replacement, Gérard Houllier, a role he held until May 2007. In 2010, he took on the role of director at the Centre Tola Vologe, Lyon's training complex. On 22 June 2011, Garde was appointed as Lyon's new manager, succeeding Claude Puel.
During his tenure as head coach of Les Gones, Garde faced financial constraints due to UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations. This led to the sale of key players such as Hugo Lloris, Aly Cissokho, Michel Bastos, Lisandro López, and Dejan Lovren, which made it challenging to reclaim domestic dominance. Despite these challenges, Garde actively promoted and integrated young players from the club's academy into the first team, including Samuel Umtiti, Maxime Gonalons, Clément Grenier, and Alexandre Lacazette, who became central figures. Under his leadership, Lyon won the Coupe de France in 2012 and the Trophée des Champions in the same year. However, Lyon failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League in the 2011-12 season. At the end of the 2013-14 season, with his contract expiring, Garde declined a contract extension offered by the club, citing the need for a break due to mental pressure and family reasons. He announced his resignation on 13 May 2014.
2.2. Aston Villa
On 2 November 2015, Garde agreed to a three-and-a-half-year deal to become the manager of Premier League club Aston Villa, who were at the bottom of the league table at the time. Six days later, in his first match in charge, his new team drew 0-0 with then-league leaders Manchester City, a result that was seen as an instant positive impact.
Garde placed a strong emphasis on discipline at Aston Villa. He notably dropped midfielder Jack Grealish from the first team after Grealish was seen partying following a 4-0 loss to Everton, and he issued a warning to the team against excessive partying during the Christmas period. Despite his efforts, the team's performance did not significantly improve, and Aston Villa remained at the bottom of the league. On 29 March 2016, Garde left the club by mutual consent after less than five months in charge.
2.3. Montreal Impact
After more than 18 months without a managerial role, Garde was named head coach of Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer on 8 November 2017. His first competitive fixture saw his team lose 2-1 away to fellow Canadian side Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Throughout his first season, Montreal competed for a playoff position, but ultimately failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs after a 1-0 loss to the New England Revolution on the final day of the regular season. Garde was sacked by Montreal on 21 August 2019 and was replaced by former Houston Dynamo head coach Wílmer Cabrera.
3. Managerial statistics
Rémi Garde's complete managerial record is detailed below.
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matches played | Matches won | Matches drawn | Matches lost | Win percentage | |||
| Lyon | 22 June 2011 | 23 May 2014 | 85|38|45|50.6 | ||||
| Aston Villa | 2 November 2015 | 29 March 2016 | 3|7|13|13.0 | ||||
| Montreal Impact | 8 November 2017 | 21 August 2019 | 28|9|30|41.8 | ||||
| Total | 116|54|88|45.0 | ||||||
4. Honours
Rémi Garde achieved several significant honours during both his playing and managerial careers, including league titles and major cup competitions.
4.1. Player honours
- Lyon
- Ligue 2: 1988-89
- Strasbourg
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1995
- Coupe de France runner-up: 1994-95
- Arsenal
- Premier League: 1997-98
- FA Cup: 1997-98
- FA Community Shield: 1998
4.2. Managerial honours
- Lyon
- Coupe de France: 2011-12
- Trophée des Champions: 2012
5. Assessment and Criticism
Rémi Garde's career, both as a player and manager, is characterized by periods of success and significant challenges. As a player, he was highly regarded for his versatility, reliability, and leadership, particularly during his time at Lyon where he captained the team to Ligue 1 promotion. His move to Arsenal saw him embrace a role as an experienced squad player, contributing to a historic double-winning season despite persistent knee injuries that ultimately led to his early retirement.
In his managerial career at Lyon, Garde was praised for navigating the club through a financially challenging period, which necessitated the sale of key players. His decision to promote and integrate young talent from the club's academy, such as Samuel Umtiti and Alexandre Lacazette, was viewed positively as it laid the groundwork for future team successes and demonstrated a commitment to long-term development. Despite not achieving a league title, his wins in the Coupe de France and Trophée des Champions marked notable achievements during a transitional phase for the club. His departure from Lyon, citing personal and family reasons related to the mental pressure of the role, highlighted the demanding nature of top-tier football management.
However, his subsequent managerial roles at Aston Villa and Montreal Impact proved more challenging. At Aston Villa, despite a strong start with a draw against Manchester City, he struggled to lift the team from the bottom of the Premier League table. His emphasis on discipline, including the notable incident with Jack Grealish, was a reflection of his attempt to impose order on a struggling squad. Yet, the lack of improved results led to his departure by mutual consent after a short five-month spell. Similarly, his tenure at Montreal Impact ended with his sacking after failing to secure a playoff spot in his first full season, indicating difficulties in translating his coaching philosophy to a new league environment. His managerial career therefore presents a mixed record, with initial success at Lyon followed by less impactful stints in other leagues.