Claude Puel Reported To Be In Talks With French Club Sunday, 28th May 2017 09:43 A French journalist has reported that Claude Puel has been in France this week speaking to a potential suitor should he leave St Mary's.
L’Equipe journalist Bertrand Latour has claimed that Claude Puel has met with Saint-Etienne’s board, regarding taking over as manager at the French club next season.
Puel's stock may be low with Saints supporters but in France it is still high, not only because of his success there but as what is seen as a good year for Puel at St Mary's in his first season.
Indeed it seems that it is only a large section of the Saints support who dislike Puel and think he has been a disaster at St Mary's, from afar most not connected with the club consider 8th and a cup final as a more than reasonable season given the circumstances, although it has to be said that most of them did not have to watch the performances or the rotation system that some Saints fans thought lost us more than it gained.
Latour suggests that not only Puel but also Claudio Ranieri have been interviewed by Saint-Etienne.
Latour finishes with the claim that the position will be filled by June 5th.
There are rumours doing the rounds for a while that Puel and his family are unhappy living in England and want to return to France and that his departure from St Mary's is on the cards but will be managed in a structured way that will see him return to France to another club and allow him to leave with his reputation intact and of course allow the club to close this chapter of it's history with little fuss.
But whatever the truth, the club need to deal with the situation whichever way it is going swiftly, the longer it goes on the more it will look like it is being handled badly.
Photo: Action Images
Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
WanderingSaint added 10:19 - May 28
If he's been reading TUI for the last two months he probably can't wait till get away quick enough. And for everyone calling for him to be sacked, you're not allowed to whine when his replacement turns out to be worse. Well done. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
LordDZLucan added 10:47 - May 28
Whatever decision is made it needs to be made quickly and, if there is to be a replacement, he needs to be appointed immediately so that he has a chance to shape his squad rather than Les Reed doing it for him. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
Ron11 added 11:01 - May 28
'Turns out to be worse' How can five consecutive home games without a win or scoring a single goal BE any worse? | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
highfield49 added 11:10 - May 28
So Ron11 you'd be quite happy if David Moyes was appointed this week? | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
helpineedsomebody added 11:21 - May 28
if the club is going to be sold then it will be like wooperts wound up no employees job will be safe | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
fubsy added 11:32 - May 28
Well said Wandering Saint. If Puel leaves everything he has learned in this, his first season in England, goes with him. Of course things could have been worse Ron11. I am beginning to think we Saints Supporters are the problem and not the manager. Reading this web site used to be a pleasure........ | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
saintpp added 11:45 - May 28
Ron11 How could it 'turn out to be worse'? Sounds like you havent been a Saints fan that long with that comment.. It could be a lot worse fighting relegation out of both cups and sacking another manager mid season.....As for the home games well two of penalties were missed not Puels fault 2 of them the opponents goalie got man of the match V Stoke we had 6 shots on target no goals Stoke had 2 shots one goal. If 8th and cup final is bad season well its actually been one of our most most successffull in our history. leaving aside fans disatisfaction with lack of goals... | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
saintpp added 11:54 - May 28
Fubsy Agreed the home fans have some responsibllty for not getting behind the team enough and the vocal ones trying to influence the rest in their Puel out campaign.They are cutting their nose off to spite their face by moaning booing and jeering at whatever subs the manager makes... Maybe thats why our away form is better the players arent so nervous.As you say reading this site used to be a pleasure it seems have turned into the sheep like mentality infesting Saints fans...'A large section' dislike him' Hmm a large vocal section id say. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
saintpp added 12:19 - May 28
My previous comments were in response to other posters. This one is for the UI why publish such an article which it seems you searched out as i have gone the day reading football gossip and didnt see this. Fostering rumours from some vague source and suggesting his family may be unhappy based on hearsay isnt balanced journalism it reeks of catering to those opinionated ones who want him out. As for the large section,well it doesnt mean they are right and they are the only ones in football who think he should go as he hasnt done a bad job all things considered. Id say it was section of fans giving it 'large' instead getting behind him and some were at it from day 1. Has Puel even been back France for this alleged interview nobody knows and if he has id suggest it was for well earned holiday. This is a shamefull article that there was no need whatsoever to publish. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
Hugh_Jarce added 12:57 - May 28
If CP has an option to go back to Ligue 1 with his reputation intact then good luck to him. Could work out nicely provided Les has a quality successor lined up. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
Toussaint added 14:57 - May 28
They gave him permission to talk to other clubs, so it looks like he's off, but we did not go after Silver even tho Puels had interviews, so somebody must be lined up, I hope it's Gary Monk who is one manager that could ignite the club being 'one of our own' | ![](/images/avatars/5570.gif) | |
abingdonsaint added 18:19 - May 28
For all the Les Reed haters out there, you do realise that he is a major reason for our success in recent years? There is an interesting perspective from a Sunderland fan in 'The Roker Report' which I suggest you look up. (Sorry, don't know how to add the link!) And sorry to disappoint. Les will have his say in transfers regardless of who the manager is. Anyone not aware of this is simply not paying attention! | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
saintpp added 18:22 - May 28
Toussaint where did you read that they gave him permission to talk to other clubs i must have missed that one too. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
BoondockSaint added 23:49 - May 28
abingdonsaint, I do realise what a genius Les Reed is! Why in just three seasons, by hard graft, he has taken not one, but TWO teams mired in the mid-table, desperately clinging to their past glories, in danger of slipping further, and has single-handedly propelled them into the top four! Not only has strengthened their squads, he guaranteed their progress up the table by destroying their main competitor with Machiavellian guile in a series of moves , selling their best players every summer, signing a manager no one was in a hurry to sign and then just to make sure, not providing that manager with any talent players. Les must be so proud of the Spuds and the Scouse! It's all thanks to him! | ![](/images/avatars/7868.gif) | |
NigD added 08:49 - May 29
Fubsy. Spot on above. And the anti les Reed comment. Mental! He is a mastermind behind much of what our club is now about! We are a great club. The fans are the only issue right now! | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
zonehead added 09:51 - May 29
Thing is we had a pressing style from the previous managers and was successful and I thought Les would want this way to continue throughout the club so everyone was on the same page coming through. This seems to have changed with the new ma and a more cautious approach even though the goalies were mom in the last games. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
abingdonsaint added 10:07 - May 29
BoondockSaint. You're perfectly entitled to your opinion of course, but given the financial gulf between us and the top six clubs, I would be interested to know what you would have done differently. Refuse to sell perhaps, and be stuck with an unhappy player until his contract runs out and we let go on a free, with far less money to replace? It's 2017, not 1977. If players want to go, they go. That applies to every club from Barca and Real Madrid downwards. There is a football pyramid now, and the only reason we sell more than most is that our scouting, recruitment and coaching is superior to most of our peers. (And yes, Les is behind that too!). That means we have a higher proportion of quality relative to our position in the pyramid. The time to start worrying is when none of the big clubs want our players. That would mean we were failing..... | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
BoondockSaint added 23:43 - May 29
Hi abingdonsaint! Sorry didn't answer sooner--was watching Huddersfield--they made 4 out of 5 from the spot!! So that is how penalties are supposed to be taken! Before each one Patrick Stewart was shouting "Make it so!!" Anyway, thank you for your (in usual TUI fashion) civil response to my sarcasm. You are quite correct about the finances, the worst thing about football is no salary cap! What drives me "Mental" is Les (or whoever is putting his strings) Now I have no problem if a player wants to go for huge money, but I do have an issue as to where he goes. If Mane went to Chelsea, ManCity, Arsenal, it would have little impact on where we finished in the standings as they are well above (for now). However by shipping him off to the Scouse, that helped them leap-frog us in the standings, and turn such a profit as a result that his signing cost them nothing. The first rule in selling or trading a player in any sport, is: Don't send him to a rival, one that is close in the standings or geographically, because it could come back to bite you and make you look like a fool. As all of our fellow posters knew last summer, we needed two CBs and a couple of strikers who could replace the 23 goals that went out the door. But Les didn't? We needed a replacement for Koeman, someone who would command the respect of the players and attract new talent, yet no big name manager showed any interest in our club. Is because we are now laughed at as the Scouse’ feeder club and no noted manager wants to build something one year and have it ripped out from under him? Silva ( know opinions vary on him) didn't even wait to see what happen here, just grabbed the Watford job....kind of odd, don't you think? I am worried that the momentum and good image that we have had over the last few years are now being squandered by Les. (OK, so maybe it's not all him, but he smugly takes the credit when things are good.) I look at Bournemouth and think "That used to be us: Everyone's favourite "little team that plays big" and then I see Eisner checking out You Know Who and get an icy chill down my back....hopefully it's just a draft! All the best, Boondock | ![](/images/avatars/7868.gif) | |
abingdonsaint added 08:25 - May 30
Morning Boondock. Don't get me wrong. I hate it as much as anyone when we sell our best players, even more so when they all seem go to Liverpool! The trouble is though, we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. It may be that only Liverpool made bids that were acceptable, or at all. And yes, it has made them stronger at our expense, but the sheer weight of money would have made that inevitable anyway. I agree with you about a salary cap, but Bosman and FFP don't help clubs of our size either. I'm not saying Les is perfect by any means, but I think he has got more right than wrong over the last few years. Bottom line is we all want Saints to do well, and there's no doubt that despite the cup final and 8th place finish we have gone backwards in football terms this season. With the proposed takeover etc the next week or two could be interesting..... | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | |
You need to login in order to post your comments |
Blogs 32 bloggersPort Vale Polls |