Jean-Louis Gasset, Montpellier stalwart, dies aged 72 | OneFootball

Jean-Louis Gasset, who embodied Montpellier as player, educator and coach, died in his sleep overnight from Thursday to Friday, a few days after his 72nd birthday.

According to L'Équipe, the Grammont training base fell silent on Friday morning as staff learned of his sudden passing before the club issued any statement.

Montpellier-born, he grew with La Paillade, founded in 1974 by Louis Nicollin and his father, Bernard. After starting at Béziers, the midfielder spent a decade at home, rising from Division d’Honneur to Division 1 in 1981.

On retiring he became educator then coach, a renowned man-manager who first served as a loyal assistant at MHSC. He later worked with Laurent Blanc, 12 years his junior, at Bordeaux, the France team and Paris-SG, and led Montpellier for most of 1998-1999.

He returned in 2017 as the club’s firefighter, steering Montpellier away from what looked an inevitable relegation. After an interim at OM from February to May 2024 that he framed as retirement, he answered one more call in autumn 2024 to try to keep MHSC up.

The picture was worse than feared, and, wearied by a dressing room detached from reality, he handed over to Zoumana Camara, whom he had recommended to president Laurent Nicollin. 10 days ago he met Laurent Blanc and Ghislain Printant at Richard Gasquet’s jubilee in Béziers, while his son Robin remains Camara’s assistant.

Source: L'Équipe