Lens and Pierre Sage part ways, with Crystal Palace keeping a close eye on things
The writing had been on the wall inside the club for days. Pierre Sage is set to leave RC Lens after just one season in charge, despite signing a three-year deal last summer. The 47-year-old moved first earlier in the week, telling the club hierarchy he wanted out to start a new chapter elsewhere.
Lens had already begun bracing for it, especially after comments that were seen as telling in the wake of the Coupe de France win over Nice (3-1). So that is that. One season was all it took to close the book, even if the numbers are hard to ignore.
A busy season, big results, then a swift split
On the pitch, Sage leaves behind a highly respectable campaign. 28 wins, 4 draws, 8 defeats in all competitions, capped by a first-ever Coupe de France triumph for the club and a second-place finish in Ligue 1 that secured a return to the Champions League.
Those results even earned Sage individual recognition at the UNFP Awards, where he was named the league’s best coach just weeks ago. But the success was not enough to build anything lasting. With Sage gone, the project stops dead, leaving the sense of a job only half-finished.
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Crystal Palace top the list
In the chatter about his next move, one lead keeps coming up: Crystal Palace. The Premier League club are preparing for a change in the dugout, with Oliver Glasner said to be close to AC Milan. Sage’s name is now being mentioned in London, alongside other candidates under review. His spell at Lyon, followed by this season at Lens, has boosted his standing across Europe, even if nothing is settled yet.
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Photo credits: Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP
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