Jacques Santini has been named France’s new coach, in place of Roger Lemerre who was sacked after Les Bleus first round World Cup exit last month.
French Football federation (FFF) president Claude Simonet confirmed the appointment following a FFF council meeting in Paris earlier today.
Santini, who guided Lyon to their first ever league title last season, will take over with immediate effect and hisfirst competitive match in charge will be the EURO 2004 qualifier against Cyprus on September 7.
Lemerre, who led France to success at EURO 2000, was fired after presiding over a disastrous World Cup campaign which saw the holders eliminated without a win or a goal scored.
Santini was one of several canndidates linked with post, among them: former Japan coach Philippe Troussier, Under-21 coach Raymond Domenech and Lemerre’s assistant Rene Girard.
