Santini takes over from Guy Roux at Auxerre

PARIS, June 7 (AFP) – Jacques Santini, out of the footballing spotlight since resigning after a brief tenure as coach at Tottenham last year, was on Tuesday appointed manager of Auxerre.  

The former France coach takes over from Guy Roux, who stepped down after 44 years in charge of the French first division club on Sunday.  

Santini took Spurs by surprise when quitting “for personal reasons” after barely four months in the job in November.  

His appointment, on a two year contract, was announced by Auxerre vice president Gerard Bourgoin.  

Santini, who claimed he’d left Tottenham because of a clash over the club’s recruitment policy, said: “I’m delighted and proud to succeed such a monument to football as Guy Roux.”  

The 53-year-old Santini – a former French international midfielder and a member of the great St Etienne side of the 1970’s – was appointed France manager in 2002 after winning the French title with Lyon in his third year at the club.  

Under his control Les Bleus won the 2003 Confederations Cup but failed to shine at Euro 2004, where the defending champions crashed out to Greece in the quarter-finals.  

He will be assisted by Dominique Cuperly, his righthand man at Lyon whom he guided to the French title in 2002, and at Spurs.

© AFP

Subject: French News