Michel Der Zakarian confirms SM Caen departure
Months after being sacked by Montpellier HSC, Michel Der Zakarian will once again be out of a coaching job in the coming weeks.
The 62-year-old was appointed manager of SM Caen in February, with the goal of trying to dig them out a deep hole in Ligue 2 and help them avoid relegation. That did not happen with the club from Normandy, already assured of going down into Championnat National with a mere 21 points from 31 matches.
Advertisement
Der Zakarian said that he may not have resigned if not for their relegation.
'I might have been tempted to continue, but in Ligue 2,' he said.
The former FC Nantes, Stade de Reims, and Montpellier boss has only won one of his nine Ligue 2 matches in charge of Les Vikings, suffering a humiliating 4-0 defeat last Saturday at soon-to-be-promoted FC Lorient.
Caen, owned by French captain Kylian Mbappé (26) have two more matches in Ligue 2 this season, but even if they win them both they will still finish at the bottom of the table.
Before coming to Caen, Der Zakarian was in charge of Montpellier but was sacked following a 5-0 defeat in Ligue 1 to Olympique de Marseille. Montpellier are also guaranteed to finish dead last in Ligue 1 this season.
Advertisement
When asked if he might retire from coaching after a rough campaign, Der Zakarian responded,
'Personally, I don't want to finish on two consecutive failures in one season. Even though I consider that Montpellier is not necessarily a failure on my part, because there have been things that have not been correct. I'm always hungry for football.'
This season, Caen have conceded 55 goals, five more than the next closest team in Ligue 2.
Friday will be his last opportunity to claim a domestic home triumph as their manager with Caen hosting SC Bastia in Normandy at Stade Michel-d'Ornano.
GFFN | Joel Lefevre
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mbappe sends France past Germany to claim Nations League bronze
France forward and captain Kylian Mbappe was the difference in Sunday's 2-0 win over Germany in Stuttgart. (FRANCK FIFE) Kylian Mbappe bagged a goal and an assist as France beat Germany 2-0 in the Nations League bronze-medal match in Stuttgart on Sunday. Mbappe wove his magic in a heavily changed France squad. Germany dominated the opening half but Mbappe provided the breakthrough just before half-time, carving a shot through a crowded penalty box to bring up his 50th goal in France colours. Advertisement Late in the second, with the hosts desperately looking for an equaliser, Mbappe snatched a poor Germany pass on the half-way line and rampaged forward, before setting up Michael Olise. The French showed their incredible depth, while Mbappe again demonstrated his finishing and pace. For Germany, who lost two straight straight matches for the first time since 2023, questions remain over how much they have truly improved under Julian Nagelsmann. In the lead-up to Sunday's encounter, France coach Didier Deschamps admitted the Nations League clash with old rivals Germany "isn't the most important game for us," with a clear focus on next year's World Cup. Advertisement Deschamps made eight changes from the semi-final loss to Spain, with only captain Mbappe, goalie Mike Maignan and midfield veteran Adrien Rabiot keeping their starting spots. Nagelsmann also rotated heavily, making four changes including bringing striker Niclas Fuellkrug back into the starting XI. The Germans had a wealth of chances in the opening half. Karim Adeyemi won a penalty but it was overturned by VAR for diving with. Florian Wirtz hit the post. Mbappe struck just before half-time. The Real Madrid man collected a pass which floated over the 1.77-metre tall Joshua Kimmich's head, took a touch and hammered a shot home with his preferred right foot. Advertisement Nagelsmann replaced rookie striker Nick Woltemade with Deniz Undav at half-time. The move seemed to have paid immediate dividends Undavhad the ball in the net, but his effort was chalked off for a foul in the build-up by Fuellkrug. Germany dominated possession and field position, but that left them vulnerable on the break to France's lightning-fast forwards, led by Mbappe. Marcus Thuram hit the post on 58 minutes. Then Mbappe and substitute Olise, who plays in Germany for Bayern Munich, combined to seal the match for France. The French captain pounced on a poor Robin Koch clearance on the half-way line and ran goalwards, squaring for the onrushing Olise to tap home with six minutes remaining. Later on Sunday, reigning Nations League and Euros champions Spain face Portugal in Munich to decide this year's crown. dwi/pb
Miami Herald
18 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Greg Cote's Hot Button Top 10: Marchand Miracle rescues Cats, NBA, Coco, death of amateurism & more
GREG COTE'S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JUNE 8): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Our Sunday Hot Button Top 10 notes column brings you what's on our minds, locally and nationally but from a Miami perspective and accentuating stuff that's big, weird, damnable, funny or otherwise worth needling as the sports week just past pivots to the week ahead. Welcome to the 106th edition of your HB10: 1. PANTHERS: Marchand Miracle lifts Cats in double-OT, ties Stanley Cup: Florida trailed twice in Game 2 Friday night and was at grave risk of going down 2-0 to Edmonton in the Stanley Cup Final -- a hole that has buried 91 percent of teams in SCF history. But Brad Marchand rescued the Panthers with the Marchand Miracle, a goal in the second overtime for a 5-4 road win and 1-1 series heading back to South Florida for Game 3 Monday night. Two OT games to begin promise a crazy-good series likely to go the distance as the Cats claw for a repeat-championships and the Oilers fight for that club's first title since 1990 and the first-ever to heal what's missing on Connor McDavid's otherwise impeccable resume'. 2. NBA: Thrilling upset launches unconventional Finals: Oklahoma City and Indiana both chasing their first NBA championship made for a dubious national ratings sell, and the Knicks' sudden firing of coach Tom Thibodeau glommed attention as the Finals began. But Game 1 had to be a spike on interest as Pacers rallied for a 111-110 road upset over Thunder on Tyrese Haliburton's last-second jumper. League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rained 38 in the loss as Pacers overcame 24 turnovers. Game 2 is Sunday/tonight back in OKC in a Finals that suddenly seems must-watch. 3. TENNIS: Coco Gauff wins French Open! Another 1-2 final today: Heavyweight championship weekend at the French Open with Nos. 1 vs. 2 finals for both the women and men. Saturday, No. 2 Coco Gauff of Delray Beach (90 minutes north of Miami) beat top-seed Aryna Sabalenka, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, for Gauff's second career major at just age 21. Next Serena? Promising start. (Gauff en route to the crown in Paris had beaten French Cinderella Lois Boisson in the semis after earlier defeating Marie Bouzkova, girlfriend of Panthers star Aleksander Barkov.) In Sunday's men's final top-seed Cheatin' Jannik Sinner faces number two Carlos Alcaraz. 4. MONEY: Colleges directly paying athletes an historic breakthrough: Beginning on July 1 Division I schools may start directly paying players in all sports -- a first in NCAA history. It is the result of a federal judge approving a House vs. NCAA settlement that had been debated for several months. It means all athletes, but let by football and basketball, may now partake of billions of dollars in broadcast revenue and other money streams. The decision will means scholarship/roster limits and tighter on Name, Image and Likeness deals. Bottom line: Amateurism in the NCAA has died. College players are now professional athletes. 5. HORSES: Sovereignty is king(ish), wins Triple Crown double: Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown season ended Saturday with Sovereignty beating Journalism, just as in the Kentucky Derby. Journalism had won the Preakness Stakes, so either horse could claim the 'Double Crown' in the Belmont. Sovereignty did with an impressive late sprint. (Suggestion: Derby winners must commit to the Preakness so Triple Crown hopes are not so immediately dashed.) 6. INTER MIAMI: Beckham gets knighted; ticket sales lag for FIFA Club World Cup: Inter Miami part-owner David Beckham will earn knighthood next week in Britain and be Sir David, with wife Victoria's title Lady. (Her option was Dame. Good choice, Vic.) In less happy news, FIFA continues to lower ticket prices over fears its 2025 Club World Cup could open to half-empty Hard Rock Stadium as it starts June 14 with Miami and Lionel Messi facing Egypt's Al Ahly. HRS is one of 12 U.S. host stadiums and will see eight matches including Real Madrid June 18, Bayern Munich June 20 and two round-of-16 games. Real Madrid, Man City and Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain are CWC betting favorites, with Inter Miami a middling 19th of 32 clubs. Meantime Messi is only MLS player on ESPN's latest FC 100 list of world's best players, selected eighth among 20 wingers despite turning 38 this month. 7. DOLPHINS: Questions linger as Miami wraps offseason with minicamp Dolphins end two months of offseason work with a mandatory minicamp this Tuesday through Thursday, club's last on-field activity until late-July start of full training camp. OT Terron Armstead's expected retirement became official but questions linger over when and to whom CB Jalen Ramsey likely will be traded, and whether team will give TE Jonnu Smith more money or trade him, too. Miami's '25 NFL season -- playoffs-or-out for coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier, it says here -- begins Sept. 7 at the Colts. 8. CANES BASEBALL: UM one win from return to College World Series: The Miami Hurricanes making the annual College World Series in Omaha was a near-annual occurrence for decades, until a recent program downturn. Now the Canes are one win from returning to the CWS for the first time since 2016 as four-time national champion UM has had a faith-restoring season under coach J.D. Arteaga. Sunday's rubber game of a three-game Super Regional vs. host Louisville will determine who goes to Omaha. 9. MARLINS: Getting swept by sub-sad Colorado defines Fish season: Swept at home by a Rockies team hurtling toward historic awfulness will define this season for the low-spending, no-shot Miami Marlins. Fish are now 24-38 in the midst of a season-long nine-game road trip. With all-star voting underway, Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers has the best shot to rep Miami if voters are feeling charitable or looking for a token Fish. 10. NFL: Rodgers decides his fizzling career will end in Pittsburgh: The ghost of Aaron Rodgers, 41, will sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers (assuming he passes a physical) and says he'll be at team's mini-camp this week. The not-unexpected news sets up a season opener vs. his most recent former team, the New York Jets. Rodgers was as desperate to not retire as the Steelers were for a proven QB. Pittsburgh let Russell Wilson and Justin Fields leave as free agents and had only Mason Rudolph left. Rodgers' is a one-year deal, so expect more will-he-retire drama next spring. THE LIST: FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP FAVORITES: Betting odds as of Saturday via FanDuel for favorites in the 32-team tournament opening next Saturday at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium: Club (Country) Odds Real Madrid (Spain) +410 Manchester City (England) +500 Paris Saint-Germain (France) +500 Bayern Munich (Germany) +700 Chelsea (England) +1000 Atletico Madrid (Spain) +1500 Inter Milan (Italy) +1500 Note: MLS side Inter Miami is tied for 19th favorite to win at +6000. Other select most recent stuff from me: Hated to hero: Marchand's Panthers goal in second OT beats Edmonton 5-4, ties Stanley Cup Final // Road magic fails Panthers in 4-3 OT loss to open Stanley Cup Final rematch // Stanley Cup preview: On Connor 'McOverrated,' dream Cup rematch, Panthers as face of changed NHL // Previous HB10 // Poll Dance: Who wins Panthers-Oilers Final // Florida Panthers oust Carolina in five, reach 3rd straight Stanley Cup Final // Major news on future of Dan Le Batard Show, Meadowlark Media, DraftKings // Game 7 magic as Panthers rout Toronto 6-2, reach 3rd straight East finals // Panthers' 4-1 ouster of Tampa declares intent, and ability, to repeat as champs // Giannis? Durant? Embarrassed Heat need major help after 55-point loss and playoff sweep // NFL Draft Live! Pick-by-pick analysis, Cote vs. Kiper mock results // Our 34th annual Official Herald NFL Mock Draft // Miami Dolphins should be fed up with Tyreek Hill, but team is too desperate to trade him // LeBron vs. Michael, now Ovechkin-Gretzky. Our obsession with ranking greatness // NCAAs crescendo with exciting Final Fours, but college basketball is broken. Let's fix it // To owner Bruce Sherman of low-hope Marlins: Spend more on payroll, or sell team // Dolphins' 18-month decline, quiet offseason heap pressure on Tua, coach, GM in '25 // A tribute to Miami sports legend Jimmy Johnson as he retires from Fox TV // Must-win MLS season for Messi, Inter Miami a tough climb, as opening 2-2 home draw shows // 15 years later, Dolphins Cancer Challenge is the life-saving legacy of Jim Mandich // Unprofessional Jimmy Butler quit on Heat, ruined his legacy in Miami // Our Top 10 biggest Miami/South Florida sports stories of 2024 // And my latest podcast:
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lens interested in Marseille's Neal Maupay
RC Lens are interested in Olympique de Marseille centre-forward Neal Maupay (28), according to a report from Foot Mercato. Maupay proved useful for Marseille at times in the season, especially before Amine Gouiri's arrival in January. However, the signing of the Algeria international saw the former Brighton and Hove Albion, Brentford, and Everton forward used more sparingly in the second part of the campaign. Advertisement Over the course of the season, he scored four goals and registered four assists in 24 appearances. Foot Mercato understands, however, that Maupay may not have a future at the Vélodrome. He is, nonetheless, attracting interest. RC Lens are interested in the Frenchman, who could even be used in the deal that could see Facundo Medina make the opposite move. The publication reports that a €20m deal for the Argentine is close, however, with Lens' interest in Maupay, the centre-forward could be used as a makeweight in a potential deal. The Marseille forward is, in any case, strongly appreciated by Lens. GFFN | Luke Entwistle
