News Focus
- Karel Geraerts departs Stade de Reims following a disappointing campaign in the French second tier.
- The club failed to earn automatic promotion to Ligue 1 and also missed the play-off spots.
- Nicolas Usai is the leading candidate to become the new head coach.
- The French manager left Pau in January and had attracted interest from clubs in Belgium and Ligue 1.
Stade de Reims have dropped down to Ligue 2. Their main goal this season was an immediate return to the top flight. The club appointed Karel Geraerts last summer to lead this mission.
However, the Belgian coach failed to deliver the desired results. Les Stadistes did not secure an automatic promotion spot. They also failed to reach the promotion play-offs.
Now, French publication L’Équipe reports that the club will part ways with Geraerts. An official announcement about his exit is expected soon.
The Reims board has already identified a successor. Olivier Dall’Oglio was linked with the vacancy, but Nicolas Usai is set to take the job instead.
Usai left his previous club, Pau, by mutual consent in January. The 50-year-old coach is highly sought after. Clubs near the bottom of Ligue 1 were interested in his services. Teams from Belgium and other Ligue 2 sides also wanted to hire him.
Despite this interest, Usai looks ready to join Reims. Reports suggest he may already have a deal in place with the Champagne-based outfit.