Blanc turns down Nantes offer as the club look for Gourcuff’s replacement

Former France and PSG manager Laurent Blanc has rejected an offer to coach Ligue 1 side Nantes.

Nantes recently sacked their manager, Christian Gourcuff, due to a run of bad results. The manager was only able to spend a season and a half at the team’s helm before being shown the exit door.

Blanc, who is part of France’s 1998 world cup winning squad, is currently unemployed but turned down the opportunity to become the next manager of Nantes.

20 Minutes reports that Nantes approached Blanc on Monday. It was gathered that the former France defender turned down the job after consulting some people who had worked with Les Canaris. Obviously, he got an unfavourable report about Nantes that might have a blemish to his CV.

This is believed not to have convinced the ex-French international to accept the offer. It was gathered that his consultation made him not to be convinced by the FCN project.

It was also reported that Blanc is not the type who likes taking over a team in the middle of the season. This, he believed, won’t give him full control over the recruitment policy and team’s preparation.

L’Équipe had earlier reported that Nantes President Waldemar Kita had identified Blanc and his fellow countryman, Patrick Vieira, as his top targets. Viera was recently sacked by Nice after a run of unfavourable results as well.

Gourcuff was sacked after suffering a 4-0 defeat at a home loss against Strasbourg on Sunday.

After the duo turned down the offer, Kita’s advisor and agent, Mogi Bayat, had also suggested Swiss coach René Weiler as a replacement.

As it stands, Patrick Collot, Gourcuff’s assistant, will be tinkering with the team on an interim basis until the winter break.

Nantes currently sits on the 14th spot of the Ligue 1 table with just five wins in their last 23 matches.

Gourcuff’s dismissal means he is the 17th manager to be sacked since the Kita family took over the club 14 years ago.

 

Written by: Oladipupo Mojeed