Emmanuel Petit has made the case publicly for Walid Regragui as Lens's top coaching target, while also arguing that Pierre Sage should not be treated as the first option. Lens are still looking for a new coach after ending their collaboration with Yannick Cahuzac, and Cahuzac lasted only nine matches on the Artois bench.
Petit's case for Regragui
Speaking to Foot Mercato, Petit said: "for Lens, it is not a second choice, for me it is the priority."
He added that he was left wanting more from what Regragui did with Morocco, but also wants to see him work day to day with a club side. "I want to see him coach a team on a daily basis to see a little what his methodology would be and what ideas would be put in place," Petit said, in comments translated from French. He also framed the Lens job as a chance for Regragui to bounce back.
That view is tied to Regragui's background, because he has never coached in France but did play there for Racing Club de France, Toulouse, Ajaccio, Dijon and Grenoble.
The Sage question and the Toulouse deadline
Petit was just as direct about Sage. "For me Pierre Sage should not be the priority," he said. "Reforming a marriage that ended like a divorce, I am not sure that is the right solution."
The club's timing is tight. Lens host Toulouse on 21 November, and their league position gives the next decision real weight. They are 11th in Ligue 1 after 10 matches, with 13 points and five defeats already on the board.
The search is still open, and the club now has a short run to settle on the next man before that Toulouse fixture.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
