Transfer news: Saint-Etienne have their new boss, Ian Cathro is on his way to Les Verts
Saint-Etienne have found Philippe Montanier’s replacement. AS Saint-Etienne reached a financial agreement this weekend with Portuguese club Estoril to buy out the final two years of Scottish coach Ian Cathro’s contract. The move should be made official soon. Cathro replaces Montanier, whose deal was due to run out at the end of June and who did not want to carry on in Ligue 2. It is a left-field appointment for a club trying to kick-start an ambitious sporting project in the lower division of French football.
Ian Cathro, 39, born in Dundee, is not a household name in France. UEFA Pro Licence in hand, he never had a notable playing career but has built a coaching path with a strong European feel. He has worked in Scotland, Portugal, England, Spain and Saudi Arabia, including a spell at Al-Ittihad. He also served as Nuno Espirito Santo’s assistant at Valencia, where he got a taste of Champions League football. At Estoril, where he had been in charge for two seasons, he finished eighth and then tenth in the Portuguese league.
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A European appointment to get Les Verts moving again in Ligue 2
The decision to go for a foreign coach, one little known in France, shows Saint-Etienne are determined to move away from the usual names and approach this Ligue 2 season with fresh eyes. Cathro arrives with a method shaped across several different leagues, solid international experience and a reputation for working closely on player development.
The job waiting for him at Geoffroy-Guichard is a big one. Saint-Etienne are coming off a rough season and will have to rebuild a competitive squad if they want a swift return to Ligue 1. Cathro takes charge of one of French football’s historic clubs, with all the pressure that brings, but also with the backing of an institution that remains one of the country’s best supported despite the drop.
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