Saint-Étienne linked with MLS Cup-winning manager Wilfried Nancy | OneFootball

After nine Ligue 1 matchdays, AS Saint-Étienne are on thin ice in the battle to stave off relegation, and it appears their manager is on even thinner ice.

Olivier Dall’Oglio has been on the hot seat for Les Verts since his team were thumped 8-0 by OGC Nice in September.

That seat isn’t getting any cooler after his side gave Angers SCO their first victory of the season this past weekend, putting them just a point above the relegation zone and currently in the relegation playoff position.

Dall’Oglio’s contract as Saint-Étienne boss expires in 2025, and word is the club is already shopping around for his potential successor.

At the moment, one of the hottest coaching names in Major League Soccer (MLS) is Wilfried Nancy, who guided the Columbus Crew to the league title in 2023.

The man born in Le Havre is said to be dreaming of a return to France, with L’Équipe reporting swirling that Lawrence Tanenbaum of Kilmer Sports Ventures, which owns Saint-Étienne, is interested in recruiting Nancy as head coach.

Nancy rose through the Montreal ranks to become their head coach in MLS before the Columbus Crew paid them compensation to hire him as their manager in 2022.

Nancy has won two trophies as coach of the Crew, winning the Leagues Cup over the summer, while he is on the shortlist for 2024 MLS Coach of the Year.

Last season, Dall’Oglio took charge of Les Stéphanois, guiding them to a third-place finish in Ligue 2, leading to their return back into the top flight.

Since taking charge of this team, he has won fewer than half of his league contests (48%), with his side claiming just seven points after nine matchdays in the French top-flight this season. Nancy signed an extension with Columbus in April, though the terms, including the length of his extension, were not disclosed.

GFFN | Joel Lefevre