UNFP Trophies: Brestois Éric Roy elected best coach in Ligue 1

Who could have predicted this last August? Author of an extraordinary season at the head of Stade Brestois, Éric Roy has just been named by his peers as the best coach in Ligue 1 for the 2023-2024 season, Monday during the UNFP trophies. This distinction rewards the current fourth place of the Bretons, already qualified for the first time in their history for the European Cup and well placed to discover the Champions League next season.

Roy (56 years old) thus finished in first place ahead of other coaches of European caliber, such as Luis Enrique (PSG) or Paulo Fonseca (Lille). Franck Haise (Lens), winner last year, and Luka Elsner (Le Havre) are also in the top 5. “Very good foreign coaches, but we tend to forget that we have good French coaches too,” also wanted to highlight Didier Deschamps, who presented the trophy to Éric Roy.

“A big surprise and a source of pride”

Appointed in January 2023 at the head of Stade Brestois, then in a bad position, he managed to maintain his team before titillation to the heights of Ligue 1 this year. ” What a pleasure ! You could say that I had an atypical, different journey. To be there is already a great surprise and a source of pride. It rewards a club, the work of a staff,” he said during his speech. Before having a thought for the other coaches, especially those who are struggling to maintain their club: “We were in this same position last season. »

A revenge, too, given his unusual career: when he was appointed, Roy had gone twelve years without coaching since his last (and only) number 1 position, in Nice from March 2010 to November 2011. He subsequently exercised various functions as sports director or manager in Nice, Lens or Watford (England), before returning to the coaching circuit through the front door, to the point of being crowned by his peers. “We do not come out of this flood of love unscathed,” said the Brest coach.