Perrin unveiled as new St Etienne coach

Former Lyon and Portsmouth boss Alain Perrin was on Wednesday unveiled as the new manager of struggling French first division side St Etienne.

Perrin signed a two-year contract that runs until June 30, 2010, and 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.

Tottenham's sacked sporting director Damian Comolli was hired by St 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.

“I am proud and happy to join a great club like St Etienne,” said the 52-year-old Perrin, who has been without a club since guiding Lyon to their seventh league title last June.

“We will analyse the situation and why the team is where it is in the standings. We need to find solutions to get the club out of this impasse and climb back up the league.

“I've talked things over with the staff. We now have to meet the players to see what they think and start over afresh.”

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

St 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.