He ultimately will not have made it through the holiday season. Franck Haise is no longer the coach of OGC Nice, the club announced in a press release on Monday December 29. Spent on the Riviera bench between 2012 and 2016, Claude Puel “starts today its priority mission of improving the team’s performance”specifies the text. A mission set, for now, “until the end of the season”with the aim “maintenance” in the French first division, said Jean-Pierre Rivère, co-president of the training, a little later at a press conference.
The epilogue of a long series which saw Franck Haise suggest that it could serve as « fusible » while the team was going through a series of nine defeats in a row, said he was ready to leave his functions after players and managers were physically attacked by their supporters returning from a match, then assured that he would ” stay “. This announcement also comes ten days after Fabrice Bocquet decided to leave the presidency of OGC Nice, where he was replaced by the two former leaders Jean-Pierre Rivère and Maurice Cohen.
Arriving on the Côte d’Azur in June 2024 from RC Lens, Franck Haise had a great first season, crowned with a fourth place in Ligue 1. The elimination of the Aiglons in the Europa League league phase – and without shining – had only slightly marred this successful year. And even if the large petrochemical group Ineos, owner of the club, sometimes gives the impression of losing interest in the team since its purchase of the English flagship Manchester United, the managers extended Franck Haise in the summer of 2025, until 2029. Who admitted, in the fall, not having “not necessarily considered” this extension before it is presented to him.
But since the resumption of the 2025-2026 financial year, OGC Nice has been struggling. Very diminished, the club lost at the beginning of August in the Champions League play-offs, and was transferred to the Europa League. A competition where the Niçois have had a series of defeats (six in as many matches), and in which they are bottom of the league phase. The nightmare also continued in the championship. Dante’s teammates have not won a single match in Ligue 1 since October 26 against Rennes (2-1) and occupy 13e place in the ranking. If it interrupted the series of nine defeats in a row, the victory in the Coupe de France against Saint-Etienne (2-1) just before the break was not enough to save Franck Haise’s position.
A proposal to resign at the beginning of December
Since the end of November, the 54-year-old coach had repeatedly raised the possibility of his departure. At a press conference after a defeat in Porto on November 27, he revealed that he had proposed to his leaders to be “electroshock”after a slap received against Olympique de Marseille (5-1). “I said to myself, ‘if this is going to be the solution, I’m ready to accept it.’ This does not seem to be the solution to date. I work and one day, as with any coach, if I have to be the fuse, I will be,” he explained, before affirming that he would not resign.
A week later, after the incidents upon returning from the trip to Lorient (3-1 defeat), having seen several players and members of the Nice management being physically attacked by the supporters, Franck Haise informed his managers of his decision to leave. Before, again, finally staying in place “so that everyone assumes their responsibilities”while two of its players – attackers Terem Moffi and Jérémie Boga – were placed on sick leave.
After a year and a half on the OGC bench, Franck Haise leaves the Côte d’Azur, ” wish[ant] at the Gym, its supporters and its entire environment to quickly reconnect with a positive sporting dynamic”. Nice’s next match is the reception of Strasbourg, Saturday at 7 p.m., as part of the 17e day of Ligue 1.
