Mr Le Pen's feeble result was in many ways a validation of Mr Sarkozy's first-round strategy of chasing far-right voters with a hard line on immigration and crime.
If fans accept a certain amount of sloppiness in play thanks to teams chasing the commercial prospects of far-flung fixtures, clubs are sure to take advantage.
Money managers are taught early that managing risk is far more important in delivering long-term stable performance than chasing high short-term gains.