Former Indomitable Lions Coach and French footballer, Henri Michel dies

Former French  football coach, Henri Michel, who led the French national team,“Les Bleus” to the 1984 Olympic title, has died at the age of 70.

The much-travelled Frenchman, whose last assignment was in Kenya in 2012, succumbed to illness on Tuesday 24th April 2018 after a long battle with cancer.

Born in Aix-en-Provence,in France, Michel played in midfield for French league 1, Nantes and earned 58 international caps between 1967 and 1980. He was a three-time winner of the French league title.

Under Michel, France made it through to the 1986 World Cup semi-finals where they lost 2-0 to West Germany.

Michel’s time at the helm came to an unhappy end when his team failed to qualify for Euro 1988 and then drew 1-1 with Cyprus in a 1990 World Cup qualifier.

Following his time with France, Michel had a brief spell as coach of Paris Saint-Germain at the start of the 1990s, before managing a host of African teams, going to three further World Cups with Cameroon (1994), Morocco (1998) and Ivory Coast (2006).

Michel led France, Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia and Ivory Coast at the World Cup, and also took charge of the United Arab Emirates, Equatorial Guinea and Kenya.

He was appointed Cameroonian Coach in 1994 during which he led the team to the 1994 World Cup in the USA.

He served as the  Morrocan Coach in 1995.

He took charge of the United Arab Emirates in 2000.

The celebrated french player and tactician was appointed Coach in Tunisia  in 2001

In 2004,the Frenchman was coach with the Ivorian team.

In 2007,Michel returned to Morocco before coaching Equatorial Guinea and Kenya.

He also worked with Paris St-Germain and some of Africa’s leading club sides, including Zamalek in Egypt and Morocco’s Raja Casablanca, as well as South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns,

His last post was a stay of a few months with Kenya in 2012.

The former French midfielder Henri Michel, coached eight countries during a 30-year managerial career before his death.

Since his death,football lovers in the world,his colleagues,friends and family members have been sending messages of love in honour of the man they described a colossus of French football.

Benly Anchunda

 

 

 

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