Romain Pitau, interim coach for four matches, has been retained as Montpellier coach for the rest of the season, the Hérault club, ranked 14th in Ligue 1, announced on Monday.At the head of the first team since the reception of Lyon, Romain Pitau will remain the main coach until the end of the seasonthe club said in a statement. Romain Pitau, then deputy in charge of young people, had replaced Olivier Dall’Oglio, dismissed on October 17 two days after a third consecutive defeat, against Lens (1-0).
«He’s the man for the job. With Bruno Carotti (sports director), Michel Mézy (advisor to the president), we met Romain this Monday to confirm our confidence in him.“, declared the president Laurent Nicollin Monday on the antenna of France Bleu Hérault. Aged 45, Pitau will be assisted by a new assistant: Frédéric Mendy, who ended his playing career in Montpellier before becoming a trainer, then coach of the women’s team (2019-21).
Only two points in four games
Pascal Baills, another assistant, Jean-Yves Hours, in charge of goalkeepers, and Benoît Andrieu, physical trainer, should continue their mission within the technical staff. The president of Montpellier had however set a goal of six to eight points to be achieved by his new technician in the last four matches (Lyon, Rennes, Clermont and Reims) before the long truce of the World Cup in Qatar (November 20 – December 18). With two points in four games, Pitau has not yet managed to reverse the course of a difficult season, where Montpellier has only won four in 15 days.
President Nicollin, however, favored an internal solution and is counting on the next truce and a possible renewal of the state of mind to raise the bar. “You will have to rest well during the holidays. We will have to raise the sliders to the recovery in all areas“Said Romain Pitau on Sunday after the draw conceded at the Mosson stadium against Reims. Montpellier, ranked in 14th place, is only one point ahead of the first relegation before entering the second part of the season with a trip to Lorient on December 28.