The RCT manager is back at Stade Aimé Giral. Franck Azéma, one of the artisans of the last Catalan Brennus shield, returns to USAP next season. He leaves Toulon for family reasons.
Player of Perpignan in the 1990s before moving to coaching, the former coach of three-quarters of the USAP will therefore find the Catalan club, where he signed for three years, replacing Patrick Arlettaz.
Franck Azéma arrived in Toulon in October 2021, before being joined by Pierre Mignoni in 2022. He will leave the RCT at the end of the season “for personal reasons“, in order to join Perpignan as a sports manager.”It is important for me to return and be present with my family. It’s not an easy choice, it has nothing to do with the club“, he explained.
This is what the Toulon club communicated this Thursday, April 20, on Twitter.
“I want to take advantage of these remaining months to give the best of myself and have fun with the team.“, he pointed out. “It’s part of life, you can’t always predict everything, I’ve been thinking about it for some time and it was important for me to make this decision.“.
It is important for me to return and be present with my family. It’s not an easy choice, it has nothing to do with the club.
Franck Azéma, RCT manager
And the RCT will need all its skills to achieve its ambitions this year: the club, who recently paid homage to his many past gloriesremains in the running for the Challenge Cup. The semi-final against the Italians of Treviso will be played on April 30. Current 4th in the Top 14, the RCT is also in the running for the final stages. The Var club travels to Castres on Saturday for the 23rd day of Top 14.
“I took a little blow on the head. I understand and prioritize human choices as always“, specified for his part the president of RC Toulon, Bernard Lemaître. For his part, the president of the USAP, François Rivière, welcomed the return of Franck Azéma and recalled that since his departure from the Catalan club, “il has had an admirable journey with many successes. On the strength of these experiences and enriched with new skills, he will come to continue the work started by the club and Patrick Arlettaz.“.
The task will be great. The current USAP 13th in the Top 14 is in the relegation zone. Franck Azéma’s adventure will no doubt continue in Pro D2. “Sempre endavant” (always ahead, editor’s note) the motto of the club will perhaps never be so useful to go up in the elite.
– With AFP
