Strasbourg start pre-season without coach as Wilfried Nancy and Kjetil Knutsen vie to replace Gary O'Neil | OneFootball

Strasbourg returned to training on Wednesday without a head coach, with the successor to Gary O'Neil, who has left for Ipswich, should be decided by the end of the week, according to L'Équipe. Wilfried Nancy, free after leaving Celtic Glasgow, and Bodö/Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen are in contention.

The hierarchy were blindsided in mid-June when O'Neil chose to go despite leading planning meetings and settling in Alsace with family while taking French lessons. The club must again restart its search.

President Marc Keller and sporting director David Weir have opted to take time to avoid a misstep and land a long-term appointment. Pre-season camp begins on 19 July in Faro, ahead of the Ligue 1 opener at Marseille on Friday 21 August.

They have run a discreet process built on analysis, video calls and trips abroad. On Monday, Nancy, 49, met them overseas. Knutsen, 57, poses two issues, a long contract at Bodö/Glimt and no French.

There has been churn behind the scenes. On Friday, technical director Pascal de Maesschalk left to become Arsenal's academy director. On Sunday, assistant Filipe Coelho departed to take charge of Casa Pia, creating room for the incoming manager to shape his staff.

The squad is without World Cup players and Joaquin Panichelli, sidelined until January with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. Three signings have arrived, goalkeeper Milosz Piekutowski and midfielders Diogo Sousa and Benjamin Brantlind. Left-back Mateo Del Blanco is in France and should be confirmed soon.

Source: L'Équipe