Monaco part company with Lacombe

Monaco have sacked head coach Guy Lacombe after the club’s shock exit from the Coupe de France over the weekend.

Despite having six months left on his contract, Lacombe was replaced by Laurent Banide after a disastrous start to the Ligue 1 season, with the club languishing in 17th on the table with just three wins for the season.

The shock loss to fifth-tier side Chambery in France’s main cup competition on Saturday was the final straw for club president Etienne Franzi, who made the decision to remove Lacombe.

“Following the elimination in the Coupe de France, president of AS Monaco Football Club, Etienne Franzi, convened the (board) to conduct the review of the sports situation,” a Monaco statement read.

“He (felt) that the defeat in Chambery, coming after a very disappointing first half of the season … required a reorganisation of the management team. It was therefore decided to entrust with immediate effect the responsibility to Laurent Banide.”

Banide is the son of legendary former Monaco coach Gerard Banide, and will not be unfamiliar with life at the Stade Louis II after previously holding the head coaching role there between October 2006 and June 2007.

He arrives at Monaco after three years coaching in the Middle East, most recently with UAE club Al-Nasr.

Banide’s first game in charge will be Monaco’s trip to Auxerre on Saturday.