Perrin to coach struggling Saint Etienne

Former Lyon and Portsmouth boss Alain Perrin was on Tuesday named as the new manager of Saint Etienne, club president Bernard Caiazzo revealed.

Perrin is due to sign a two-and-a-half year contract on Wednesday.

He takes over from Laurent Roussey who was sacked by the fallen French giants on Monday after a weekend loss to Rennes plunged ‘les Verts’ into the relegation zone.

Caiazzo told AFP: “Alain Perrin made a very good impression on us. He comes across as someone who is very professional and experienced.

“I believe he will form a good team with Damien Comolli, our new sporting director.”

Tottenham’s sacked sporting director Comolli was hired by Saint Etienne in the same role after Sunday’s 3-0 home loss to Rennes brought a ninth league loss in 13 outings for the club where Michel Platini, now UEFA president, made his name in the 1970s and early 1980s.

The 52-year-old Perrin has been without a club since guiding Lyon to their seventh league title last June.

He is expected to bring with him to the stade Geoffrey-Guichard Christophe Galtier, his assistant at Lyon and Portsmouth.

Saint Etienne have won the league title ten times but the last time was in 1981 – when Roussey was a member of the team – while in 1976 they were a feared name on the continent, losing the European Cup final to Bayern Munich.