French coach Le Roy denies Cambridge move

PARIS, March 23 (AFP) – French coach Claude Le Roy has flatly denied agreeing to take over as manager of struggling English Third Division club Cambridge United.

Le Roy, who coached Cameroon to the 1990 World Cup quarter-finals and also coached Senegal and French first division side Strasbourg, said he had agreed to have “a look at the club” and that it had all been a misunderstanding.

And Le Roy said he was and will remain an employee of Canal Plus, the French satellite television company.

“It’s a simple misunderstanding,” the bespectacled Frenchman told AFP.

“I’ve never seen the president of Cambridge. But one of my friends, who is close to Manchester United and is an ardent supporter of Cambridge, asked me to go and have a look at the club, who still have the possibility of bringing in a couple of players as reinforcements.”

Cambridge are currently 22nd in the 24-club Third Division, the League’s bottom tier, and sacked John Taylor last week.

The club announced Le Roy’s arrival, scheduled for next Monday, amid huge excitement.

“This is possibly the most exciting appointment the club has made in its entire history,” Cambridge chairman Gary Harwood said on the club’s website.Le Roy added: “One of my former assistants is already there to assess the situation. Since I’m free next week, I said I’d pay a visit.

“But I’ve signed nothing with Cambridge. My employer is Canal Plus and I certainly have no intention of leaving them,” said Le Roy, who added that he was “shocked” at the idea that his loyalty with the French TV station could be called into question.

Subject: France news