Football club president announces manager's sacking on live TV to leave fans stunned
Montpellier manager Michel Der Zakarian was sacked on Sunday after they were well beaten by Marseille with the club's president axing his manager on live television
by Samuel Meade · The MirrorMontpellier president Laurent Nicollin stunned fans by announcing the sacking of manager Michel Der Zakarian in a live post-match interview.
The Ligue 1 outfit have endured a poor start to the season and sit bottom having won just one of their eight games. Their dire run of results continued at the weekend as they were thumped 5-0 by Marseille. The visitors needed just 44 seconds to open the scoring at the Stade de la Mosson.
Ex-Manchester United frontman Mason Greenwood also got in on the act in what proved to be Der Zakarian's final game at the helm. He had been in charge since early 2023 but the Montpellier president faced the cameras after the loss and claimed it was time for change.
He told DAZN France: "We can’t change 25 players so, unfortunately, I’ve taken the initiative to stop Michel tonight. We talked in the locker room after the game. I told him it was over tonight. I said to the players that, thanks to their great job, they had fired the coach and that they need to take their responsibilities next week against Toulouse."
Nicollin told Montpellier’s players that they were responsible for Der Zakarian losing his job and demanded an improved performance ahead of their clash with Toulouse next weekend. Ligue 1's basement side have already conceded 26 times this term, leaving them with a minus 18 goal difference. Their heavy losses have also seen them hammered 6-0 at PSG.
Prior to this season Montpellier had comfortably finished in mid-table. For the past two years they've finished in 13th as they continued to retain their top flight status. La Paillade have been in Ligue 1 since they won promotion back in 2009.
Their greatest moment came when they stunned the French establishment to storm to the Ligue 1 title in 2012 - just their third season in the top flight. They held off PSG, who were then being managed by Carlo Ancelotti, eventually finishing top by three points.
They're now under pressure to remain in Ligue 1 with the club poised to turn to Jean-Louis Gasset as their next manager, reports L’Équipe. They hope to convince Gasset to come out of retirement. He enjoyed relative successful whilst he was Marseille's interim boss last season.
The game against Toulouse, who are just two points above them in the table, presents Montpellier with the chance to get out of the relegation zone. In the coming weeks they will also take on fellow strugglers Le Havre.
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