Willy Sagnol

Willy Sagnol

150px Sagnol in 2007
Personal information
Full name	Willy Sagnol
Date of birth	(1977-03-18) 18 March 1977
Place of birth	Saint-Étienne, France
Height
Position(s)	Right back
Team information
Current team	Bordeaux (manager)
Youth career
1990–1995	Saint-Étienne
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1995–1997	Saint-Étienne	46	(1)
1997–2000	Monaco	71	(0)
2000–2009	Bayern Munich	184	(7)
2003–2008	Bayern Munich II	3	(0)
Total		304	(8)
International career
2000–2008	France	58	(0)
Managerial career
2013–2014	France U21
2014–	Bordeaux
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Willy Sagnol (born 18 March 1977) is a former French international footballer who played as a defender and is the current coach of Bordeaux. He spent much of his professional career playing for Bayern Munich in Germany's Bundesliga. He was also part of the French squad at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship, 2002 World Cup, Euro 2004, 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008.

Biography

Willy first made his way in the world of football at his father's former club in Haute-Loire, Montfaucon-en-Velay where he developed his defensive game at right-back, as well as performing exceptionally on the right-hand side of midfield.

From there he progressed, eventually joining the region's flagship club AS Saint-Étienne. An impressive two-year spell saw him earn a transfer to AS Monaco in 1997 and he experienced his first taste of success, winning Ligue 1 in 2000. Sagnol also played in Jean Tigana's talented Monaco side which famously put Manchester United out of the Champions League in 1998 on away goals after a 1–1 draw at Old Trafford. His excellent form saw him pressing for a call up to represent Les Bleus, but he was initially overlooked by national coach Roger Lemerre.

The summer of 2000 saw Sagnol's career take on a completely different dimension. Transferred to the prestigious German club Bayern Munich, he did not take long to break into the first team. At Bayern, Sagnol consolidated his reputation as one of the best full backs of his generation. A solid defender but also equally comfortable operating in attacking positions (often as a wing-back), Sagnol's superb crossing ability marked him out as a key player in Bayern's attacking play. With the Bavarian club, he won the Bundesliga in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008, as well as the Champions League in 2001 and the DFB-Pokal in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008. At international level, he had less success, often finding himself on the bench playing second fiddle to Lilian Thuram on the right-hand side of the French defense. It was not until the retirement of Marcel Desailly and Thuram's consequent move into the centre of the French defense that Sagnol finally became first choice right-back in 2004, and remained there for the next four years.

Because of continuing problems with his Achilles tendon, Sagnol quit his football career on 1 February 2009.

International career

Sagnol was part of France's squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, starting each of his country's seven games en route to the final. His competent performances, aided by France's progression to the final led to him being named as one of the outstanding defensive performers in the tournament. He saved his best display for the biggest stage of them all, the World Cup final, and was one of the better performers in a game largely remembered for off-the-ball events rather than on-the-field performances. Indeed, Sagnol's name could have been immortalized had his strong effort on goal not been successfully repelled by Gianluigi Buffon. Nonetheless, his performance was notable for a solid defensive contribution as well as important involvement in several attacking moves, such as when he provided a cross for his captain Zinedine Zidane, whose header was again superbly saved by Buffon. Sagnol also took the final spot kick for France in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In the qualification campaign for Euro 2008, fans saw a completely new side of Sagnol. On several occasions, Willy had good efforts on goal as well as still supplying his trademark crosses for teammates like Thierry Henry against Scotland at Hampden Park on 7 October 2006. Sagnol was one of his country's better performers in France's shock loss, having an impressive three efforts on goal from his right back spot, one in particular forcing a superb save from the goalkeeper. The following match, against the Faroe Islands in Paris, was his 50th for his country. His displays in that qualification campaign once more provided proof that Sagnol could be counted on for his consistent defensive play and also to provide extra quality when joining the attack.

Coaching career

Girondins de Bordeaux

2014–15 season

Sagnol was head coach of the French U–21 team until he was appointed head coach of Girondins de Bordeaux on 23 May 2014. He signed a two–year contract which expires on 30 June 2016. Girondins de Bordeaux originally wanted Zinedine Zidane as their head coach. This is Sagnol's first coaching job at club level. In his first season, Sagnol finished sixth in Ligue 1, the 10th round of the French Cup, and the round of 16 in the League Cup. The season included a 4–1 win against Monaco, 3–2 win against Paris Saint-Germain, and a 5–0 loss to Olympique Lyonnais.

2015–16 season

To start the 2015–16 season, Bordeaux defeated AEK Larnaca and Kairat Almaty to qualify for the group stage of the UEFA Europa League. Bordeaux started the league season with a win, four draws, and a loss. On matchday seven, on 23 September 2015, Bordeaux lost to Nice 6–1.

Personal life

He is married and has four children.

Career statistics

Club career

As of 28 December 2008

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
France			League		Coupe de France		Coupe de la Ligue		Europe		Total
1995–96	Saint-Étienne	Division 1	10	0					-
1996–97		Division 2	36	1					-
1997–98	Monaco	Division 1	25	0					8	0
1998–99			20	0					4	0
1999–00			26	0					6	0
Germany			League		DFB-Pokal		Other		Europe		Total
2000–01	Bayern Munich	Bundesliga	27	0	1	0	1	0	14	0	43	0
2001–02			28	1	1	0	0	0	12*	0	41	1
2002–03			23	2	5	1	1	0	4	0	33	3
2003–04			21	1	3	0	0	0	6	0	30	1
2004–05			22	1	4	0	0	0	7	0	33	1
2005–06			31	1	5	0	1	0	7	0	44	1
2006–07			23	1	3	0	2	0	9	0	37	1
2007–08			9	0	3	0	0	0	5	0	17	0
2008–09			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	France		118	1					18	0
	Germany		184	7	25	1	5	0	64	0	278	8
Career total			302	8					82	0

^*Includes UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup.

Coaching record

As of 16 November 2015

Team	From	To	Record
			G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %	Ref.
Girondins de Bordeaux	23 May 2014	Present	63	26	21	16	79	73	+6	41.27

Honours

Club

AS Monaco

• Ligue 1: 1999–00
• Trophée des champions: 1997, 2000

FC Bayern Munich

• UEFA Champions League: 2000–01
• Bundesliga: 2000–01, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08
• DFB-Pokal: 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08
• Liga-Pokal: 2004, 2007
• Intercontinental Cup: 2001
• UEFA Super Cup Runner-up: 2001

International

France

• FIFA World Cup Runner-up: 2006
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 2001, 2003

External links

• Willy Sagnol profile at Fussballdaten
• Willy Sagnol at Soccerway