Bergerôo succeeds Bini at France helm
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
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Announcing Philippe Bergerôo as Bruno Bini's successor, French FA president Noël Le Graët said it was "time to change" following France's Women's EURO quarter-final exit.
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Bruno Bini has been replaced as France coach by Philippe Bergerôo following Les Bleues' defeat in the UEFA Women's EURO 2013 quarter-finals.
The French Football Federation (FFF) made the announcement on Tuesday, bringing to an end Bini's six and a half year, 98-game tenure. Under Bini, France reached the last four of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2012 Olympics and were strongly fancied to go all the way in Sweden, only to succumb on penalties to Denmark in the quarter-finals.
FFF president Noël Le Graët said: "We have lots of respect for Bruno, a very pleasant and professional man who has guided the squad with a humane touch which you don't tend to see in football. He's taken the team forward every year and contributed to them giving an exceptional account of themselves, but it was time to change."
A former goalkeeper and member of the France squad that triumphed at the 1984 UEFA European Championship on home soil, Bergerôo was Aimé Jacquet's assistant when the men's side won, as hosts, the FIFA World Cup 14 years later. The 59-year-old also led the Under-17s to the continental title in 2004 and was most recently in charge of the U19 selection.
His first competitive assignment is a 2015 Women's World Cup qualifier in Kazakhstan on 25 September. Finland, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria make up Group 7.
