Struggling St-Etienne plump for Perrin

Agreement
Perrin, 52, takes over a club in the Ligue 1 relegation zone after five straight defeats, a run that cost Roussey his job despite St-Etienne having won both their UEFA Cup Group G games. Replaced by Claude Puel at Lyon in the summer despite securing their first domestic double, Perrin has agreed a two-and-a-half year contract at St-Etienne. Damien Comolli, who became St-Etienne sporting director this week, said: "An agreement has been reached with Alain Perrin, who will put pen to paper on Wednesday." St-Etienne resume their first UEFA Cup campaign since 1982/83 at Club Brugge KV on 27 November knowing victory would take them through to the Round of 32.

Career
The new coach, who will be assisted by long-time right-hand man Christophe Galtier, started his coaching career under Arsène Wenger at AS Nancy-Lorraine in 1983, becoming academy director before taking charge of ES Troyes AC in 1993. After nine years at Troyes – featuring three promotions and a UEFA Intertoto Cup success – he was appointed by Olympique de Marseille but left the Vélodrome in January 2004. Perrin had short spells at United Arab Emirates side Al-Ain FC and England's Portsmouth FC before taking the helm of FC Sochaux-Montbéliard at the start of 2006/07, winning the French Cup final against Marseille, and then spending last season at Lyon.