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France: Deschamps steps down as Monaco coach [Tue Sep 20th, 2005]
Monaco (Reuters) - Didier Deschamps has officially resigned as Monaco coach after a poor run of form that has left the club 15th in Ligue 1 and out of the UEFA Champions League.
"Ending my collaboration with the club appears to me to be the best decision given the current situation," said Deschamps, who was jeered by Monaco fans in an embarrassing 2-0 home defeat by Stade Rennes.
"I'm leaving a club I dedicated myself to with energy and passion. Those four years will remain engraved in my memory as one of the richest experiences of my professional run," the former France captain said in a statement released by his agent.
The 36-year-old former midfielder took charge at the club in the principality in 2001, steering the team to three top-three league finishes and a UEFA Champions League final in the last four years. He was under contract until 2007.
After a difficult start to the season, with Monaco failing to move beyond the qualifying rounds of the Champions League and winning only two of their first seven league games, Deschamps has decided to throw in the towel.
Last week he said Monaco were not a great club.
"Monaco are a good French club but not a great club because their means are limited and their results are not good enough," he said.
He was one of the two longest-serving coaches at the same Ligue 1 club among current trainers. The other is Toulouse's Erick Mombaerts, who was also appointed in 2001.
PASTOR SURPRISED
Club president Michel Pastor said he had expected Deschamps to stay.
"I'm a bit surprised because we had decided to carry on together but maybe that didn't suit him," he said.
Names of possible replacements were already circulating with former Sochaux coach Guy Lacombe and former Lyon trainer Paul Le Guen topping the list.
"We will take our time before making a decision," Pastor said.
Fans called for Deschamps's head during Sunday's defeat and the coach did not turn up at the post-match news conference.
Deschamps won 103 caps for France, lifting the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European championship, after which he retired from international football.
During a prolific playing career, he twice won the European Cup, with Olympique Marseille in 1993 and Juventus in 1996. He won two French titles with Marseille, three Serie A crowns with Juventus and lifted the FA Cup with Chelsea in 2000.
Under his guidance, Monaco reached the 2004 Champions League final, losing 3-0 to Porto, but famously thrashing Deportivo La Coruna 8-3 along the way.
Deschamps had been linked with a move away to a number of sides, notably former club Juventus, before eventually deciding to stay at Monaco.
He said in his statement that he needed time before deciding where to go next.
"You have to draw the consequences from difficult periods before bouncing back", he said.
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