Tension at Toulouse as coach eyes France rugby job

Veteran Toulouse coach Guy Noves said Monday he fully understood his club president's frustration over his potential appointment as the new France coach.

Current Bordeaux-Begles coach Raphael Ibanez, former Montpellier manager Fabien Galthie and Noves, are the front runners to replace Philippe Saint-Andre from November 1, the day after the final of the World Cup in England.

The French federation is taking the peculiar step of naming a successor way ahead of time, in late May, a step which has left Toulouse president Jean-Rene Bouscatel in the dark over who will lead his club next season.

"I understand his impatience, I just want things to work out well for Toulouse," Noves, 61, said when leaving training on Monday.

"I have total confidence in my president, we've been working together for 22 years and there are strong emotional ties. I think he trusts me, I trust him," said Noves, who turned down the France job in 2011.

Insisting he was as in the dark as anyone else over the name of the new France coach, Noves did however concede that his name appeared to be in the hat.

"I'd have to be completely deaf not to have heard (the rumours)," said Noves.

Club president Bouscatel expressed frustration over the issue in an interview which appeared in the southern regional daily La Depeche du Midi on Monday.

"This is starting to get heavy. I'd like to know as soon as possible," he said.

Insisting that Noves would have told him if he knew he was a candidate, Bouscatel admitted however that he was actively seeking a replacement.

"I've met a good half-dozen candidates," he said, revealing that one of them was former Toulouse player Ugo Mola, the current manager of second tier club Albi.
Source: AFP