The Stade Geoffroy Guichard is no longer just a cauldron.
It is a volcano ready to erupt.
For many months, AS Saint-Etienne has been going through a troubled period.
Sports results do not live up to expectations at all.
As the mid-season looms, the Greens point to a worrying ... last place in the standings.
The sale of the club, the process of which has been engaged for several months, is stagnant.
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To raise the training of Forez, the management decided to lay off Claude Puel, this Sunday, after the slap received against Stade Rennais (0-5).
The managers of Saint-Etienne are looking for a new manager capable of saving the club.
It will not be David Guion, a predicted time, but who preferred to withdraw because of the conditions imposed and revealed by
L'Équipe
: "
come alone
" without an assistant, "
without guarantees on the next winter transfer window
", and "
only for six months, because of the hoped-for sale of the club this season
”.
Le Figaro
then drew up a list of potential profiles who could join Forez in the coming days.
The most used to difficult situations: Pascal Dupraz
Pascal Dupraz (59 years old) has the profile of the perfect firefighter on duty. Since his debut as a coach at the highest level, the Haut-Savoyard has already donned the savior costume during the season on three occasions. The first time in 2012 with Evian Thonon Gaillard, a club for which he was then the sports director and which he managed to keep within the French elite for two years. In March 2016, he then joined the bench of Téfécé which he had also saved from relegation on the very last day, with in particular a speech addressed to his players before the last day which is remembered. Finally, in October 2019, he took the reins of Stade Malherbe Caen with the goal of finishing at the top of the Ligue 2 table; an experience which, this time, iswas concluded on failure. Man of character, the former player trained at FC Sochaux - who would be one of the two finalists according to
The Team
- has all the qualities to extinguish the fire that broke out among the Greens many months ago.
Most likely: Frédéric Hantz
At first, it was not his name that came up the most.
But over the days, Frédéric Hantz's profile has grown thicker, to the point of having been auditioned by the managers of Saint-Etienne this Thursday, according to the revelations of
L'Équipe
.
The 55-year-old technician "
has real support in the green house
", Reports the sports daily.
During his past experiences, the coach who left Al-Khor SC (Qatar) a year ago managed two of the major players in the Saint-Etienne squad: Wahbi Khazri in Bastia and Ryad Boudebouz in Montpellier.
In addition, if he were to take his place on the bench of ASSE, Julien Sablé, who ended his career in Corsica under his orders, could remain as an assistant coach.
Arguments that could plead in its favor.
Read also Saint-Etienne: these catastrophic figures which precipitated the fall of Puel
The most experienced: Jean-Louis Gasset
Choosing Jean-Louis Gasset means playing the card of security and experience. The 68-year-old coach, who would be on the
short-list
of Stéphanois leaders according to the revelations of
Foot Mercato
, is a regular at the very high level and the pressure that accompanies it since he has held the position of assistant technician to Laurent Blanc at the Girondins de Bordeaux, at the Blues then at Paris Saint-Germain. He also has the advantage of knowing the house of the Greens well after having put his bags there between December 2017 and June 2019. The former Montpellier player left very good memories there. During his last season in Forez, he qualified the club in the Europa League. Everything indicates that he is capable of meeting the challenge.
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Wahbi Khazri's incredible goal against FC Metz
The club's greatest connoisseur: Julien Sablé
Julien Sablé is a bit of the unknown. The 41-year-old technician was appointed to act on the Green bench after the dismissal of Claude Puel. Trained at AS Saint-Etienne, he returned to Forez just after his retirement to take on the duties of youth coach and then of the reserve team; before becoming assistant coach of the professional team from December 2017. He is the child of the club. Among all the contenders, he is without a doubt the one who knows the green house the best. A force on which Saint-Etienne leaders could decide to rely if, and only if, his results as a temporary worker prove to be satisfactory. As a reminder, theex-player of Racing Club de Lens had already taken the reins of training between November and December 2017 with a poor record: 6 matches, 4 defeats, 2 draws. Will he manage to restart the machine this weekend against Stade de Reims (Saturday, 9 p.m.)?
Read also League 1: Shortbread on the bench of Saint-Etienne in Reims
Most surprising: Adrian Ursea
Among all the names circulating to take place on the bench of AS Saint-Etienne, this is the most surprising.
Adrian Ursea's experience as a professional head coach is rather meager: it boils down to a few matches at the head of Servette FC in 2004, a few weeks on the bench of Meyrin FC in 2005 and especially more half a season on the side of OGC Nice during the last exercise.
However, the Romanian technician, who was content for a time with an assistant function, is ready to continue his career as number one: “
On a personal level, I have developed a taste for being number one.
I'm a certain age (53) and I really want to live this experience by participating in a transfer window to build a group, do a preseason and have time to share my ideas with a team.
I'm ready,
”he said at the end of May.
His record at the head of the Aiglons, without being sparkling, is not bad: 11 wins, 5 draws and 14 losses in all competitions and a 9th place in Ligue 1. Enough to convince ASSE to give him a chance?
Read also European Cup: France 1st in the UEFA index, unheard of in the history of French football
The most improbable track: Gustavo Poyet
Attention, no rumor announces it in the small papers of AS Saint-Etienne. However, Gustavo Poyet has a profile that could appeal to Saint-Etienne management. The Uruguayan, free since leaving Club Deportivo Universidad Católica (Chile) last August, has two advantages to point out. First, he is already used to Franco-French games since he led the Girondins de Bordeaux between January and August 2018, obtaining more than satisfactory results (13 wins, 2 draws, 6 defeats in all competitions). Secondly, the technician who has just celebrated his 54th birthday already has the experience of a maintenance. In October 2013, he took the reins of Sunderland and allowed the Black Cats to stay in the Premier League. It remains to be seen whetherhe is ready to return to France and if the Greens are interested ...