Lens sacked head coach Yannick Cahuzac on Tuesday, less than two months after he took over, and now need a third coach this season. The club are 11th in Ligue 1 with 13 points from 10 games (four wins, one draw, five defeats), seven behind third-placed Paris FC.
AFP reports that the decision followed a 9-1 home defeat by Italy's Como in the Champions League on 4 November and then a 1-2 home loss to Marseille on Sunday. Cahuzac, a former Lens captain, won three of his nine games in charge in all competitions and lost six, with no point from three Champions League matches.
Club president Joseph Oughourlian had said on Ligue 1+ on Sunday that "what failed on Wednesday was the club" and that he did not believe in "short-term reactions". Cahuzac had replaced former Lens coach Dino Toppmöller, who left after four league matchdays.
Reports on a successor differ. Foot01 says Oughourlian's favourite is Pierre Sage, who took Lens to second place and the Coupe de France last season before leaving for Crystal Palace, and cites Spanish daily AS saying Sage is open to a return. Foot en France, citing transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano, says Sage wants a break. La Voix du Nord, quoted by Footeo, says sporting director Jean-Louis Leca is now "in the front line".
