Philippe Montanier agrees to take Saint-Étienne job as Eirik Horneland prepares exit | OneFootball

Philippe Montanier has agreed to take charge of Saint-Étienne, with Eirik Horneland to lead Saturday’s game against Boulogne-sur-Mer at 20:00 before departing.

According to L'Équipe, Horneland addressed the squad on Wednesday morning, saying he would stay until that match.

Saint-Étienne have prioritised Montanier over Franck Haise. Haise has privately said he was not contacted, a version disputed by three sources, two inside the club. The 61-year-old left Toulouse after 2022-23 and has agreed to return to Les Verts, where he ended his goalkeeping career in 1999-2000.

He guided Toulouse back to Ligue 1 in 2022, is considered data compatible, is less demanding financially after a long spell out, and has coached in Côte d’Ivoire, Spain, England and Belgium. He would come with only one assistant, likely Stéphane Lièvre rather than Mickaël Debève.

Other options remain, including Wilfried Nancy, 48, after a catastrophic month at Celtic Glasgow and a spell in MLS, a league once run by ASSE president Ivan Gazidis. Will Still, 33, is also under consideration and is unattached.

No announcement will come before Saturday night, at least. Horneland must lead amid uncertainty over the reaction of his players and the Chaudron. Olivier Dall’Oglio was dismissed the day after a 1-2 defeat at Toulouse on 14 December 2024, with Laurent Huard taking interim charge for one match.

The timing reflects Montanier undertaking a world tour, and he is thought to be in Australia. His successor will arrive as the winter window closes, when AS Saint-Étienne should also make changes.

Source: L'Équipe