Jean-Marc Furlan, coach with a bloody temperament, specialist in good play and climbs in Ligue 1, has signed up for two seasons in Caen, the club announced on Wednesday. Aged 65, Furlan had been free since his dismissal by Auxerre in October. Arrived in 2019 in the Burgundian club, he had led it to L1 last year, with a climb snatched from penalties in a crazy barrage against Saint-Etienne. But he had become irritated in the face of a summer recruitment that was not ambitious enough in his eyes and his situation had become strained. He was sacked on the 10th day, while the club remained on five defeats in six matches.
During his last match at Clermont (2-1 defeat), he gave the local fans the middle finger, which earned him four suspension matches, three of which were closed, which he will have to serve at the start of the season. Former player passed by Bordeaux, Lyon, Tours, Montpellier or even Bastia between 1976 and 1989, named best coach of L2 in 2012, 2017 and 2019, Furlan has forged a reputation as a specialist in L1 accessions. Before Auxerre, he had achieved this performance three times with Troyes (2005, 2012, 2015) and once with Brest (2019). He also experienced two relegations in L2, with Strasbourg in 2008 and with Troyes in 2013.
According to several media, Caen had already made contact with Furlan this winter, in the event that Stéphane Moulin, the former emblematic coach of Angers who had retired a few weeks before the death of his wife, does not return quickly. This mistrust fueled a rift between management and the coach, who chose to leave at the end of the season. After coming close to relegation to National in 2021, Caen had two serious seasons under Moulin, finishing 7th in 2022 and 5th this year.
