Jean-Louis Leca defends Cahuzac's Lens promotion

Jean-Louis Leca has rejected the suggestion that his friendship with Yannick Cahuzac influenced the decision to make him Lens head coach. Leca acknowledged their long-standing personal relationship but said their roles are strictly hierarchical inside the club, with Cahuzac reporting to him and Benjamin Parrot above him in the structure.

Lens dismissed Dino Toppmöller on Tuesday, after he had arrived during the summer to succeed Pierre Sage. Cahuzac, previously his assistant, was then promoted to lead the first team. Parrot said tensions had developed between the foreign members of the staff and the Lens-based group, and that the club chose its local football principles when selecting a replacement.

Leca presented Cahuzac as a credible coaching candidate rather than simply a close associate. The former Lens captain has worked with Franck Haise and Régis Le Bris, and last season served as an assistant to Olivier Pantaloni. His understanding of the club and its demands, particularly regarding intensity, also counted in the decision.

Cahuzac said the focus on his relationship with Leca disappointed him because of its impact on Lens, although he remained focused on his objectives. Leca recalled that similar accusations arose when he and Florent Ghisolfi arrived at the club in 2019, adding that subsequent events had not made the criticism persuasive.