Laurey leaves Strasbourg, joining mass coaching exodus in France

Strasbourg, France, May 24, 2021 (AFP) - Strasbourg announced on Monday that coach Thierry Laurey will leave a day after he kept the club in Ligue 1.

Laurey, 57, was appointed in 2016 and took the club from Alsace into the top-flight as well as to a French League Cup triumph two years ago.

Strasbourg drew at home with one of the teams immediately below them, Lorient, to ensure they did not slip into the relegation play-off spot.

"A cycle has come to an end. With Thierry we lived a beautiful experience, with powerful moments and more difficult periods," Strasbourg president Marc Keller said in a statement.

"We wish him all possible success for the new challenges that await him," he added.

Five other Ligue 1 coaches also left their jobs at the end of the campaign: Stephane Moulin at Angers, Rudi Garcia at Lyon, Michel Der Zakarian at Montpellier, Adrian Ursea at Nice and David Guion at Reims.

According to reports Lyon and Nice are interested in Christophe Galtier who led Lille to the league title.