Claude Puel

Claude Puel

Personal information
Full name	Claude Puel
Date of birth	(1961-09-02) 2 September 1961
Place of birth	Castres, France
Height
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1970–1977	Castres
1977–1979	Monaco
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1979–1996	Monaco	488	(4)
Managerial career
1999–2001	Monaco
2002–2008	Lille
2008–2011	Lyon
2012–2016	Nice
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Claude Puel (born 2 September 1961 in Castres) is a French football manager and former player. He spent 17 years playing for AS Monaco and was most recently the head coach of OGC Nice in the Ligue 1.

Managerial career

Before being appointed as the manager of Monaco, he was the physical trainer and manager of the Monaco's reserve team. He was appointed as the manager in January 1999. He won the French Championship in 2000, with players, such as Ludovic Giuly and Marcelo Gallardo. In July 2001, his contract was not renewed and he left Monaco after 24 years at the club as a player and a coach. In July 2002, he was appointed manager of Lille, where he became one of the longest serving coaches in the French League (serving for six consecutive seasons). Puel courted controversy on 20 February 2007 in a UEFA Champions League match against Manchester United in Lille. After Ryan Giggs scored a quickly taken free-kick late in the game, Puel was thought to be encouraging his players to walk off the pitch in protest, although the game eventually continued after a short delay. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson described the incident in an interview with ITV after the match as 'disgraceful' and 'intimidation of the referee'". He's a young guy so he will learn to hold it down soon. Hopefully he doesn't learn the hard way." Puel joined French club Olympique Lyon on 18 June 2008. He signed a four-year contract with the seven time French champions. He also became Lyon's 4th different manager in the last 4 years. In 2010 he helped the club reach the semifinal of the Champion's League for the first time in its history. Lyon terminated his contract on 20 June 2011, although he had one year remaining on his contract with the club. On 23 May 2012, Puel reached agreement on a three-year deal with OGC Nice to take a coaching job.

Honours

Club

Monaco

• Ligue 1: 1981–82, 1987–88
• Coupe de France: 1980, 1985, 1991
• Trophée des champions: 1985
• Coppa delle Alpi: 1979, 1983, 1984
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Runner-up: 1992

Managerial

Monaco

• Ligue 1: 1999–2000
• Trophée des champions: 2000
• Coupe de la Ligue Runner-up: 2001

Managerial statistics

As of 24 May 2016

Team	From	To	Record
			G	W	D	L	Win %
Monaco	January 1999	July 2001	113	56	24	33	49.56
Lille	1 July 2002	17 June 2008	299	119	94	86	39.8
Lyon	18 June 2008	20 June 2011	156	76	44	36	48.72
Nice	23 May 2012	24 May 2016	168	68	34	66	39.29
Total			746	319	196	221	42.49

See also

• List of one-club men