Former West Brom and Brighton defender set to be named manager of Champions League heavyweights
Former West Brom defender Sebastien Pocognoli is on the verge of landing a top European management job
The likes of Paul Pogba, Eric Dier, Ansu Fati and Mika Biereth are expected to experience life under the management of a former West Bromwich Albion defender.
AS Monaco opted to dismiss Adi Hutter due their poor start to the season and the coaches apparent 'disconnect' with the dressing room, as per L'Equipe.
Hutter leaves Monaco after two seasons in a respectable fifth position but has only managed one victory in his last five matches, with the team falling to two defeats in that time frame. The French side are seeking a new long-term successor, and according to Fabrizio Romano have identified Sebastien Pocognoli as the perfect man to fill the void after his heroics in Belgium with Union Saint-Gilloise.
Sebastien Pocognoli in line for top European job
Sebastien Pocognoli, who racked up 21 appearances during a short stay at West Brom between 2014 and 2017 under Alan Irvine and later Tony Pulis, struggled to make a name for himself at the Hawthorns after arriving for £1.5m from Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga. He spent the final campaign of his career out on loan at Brighton during their promotion-winning season and played 21 times in the 2016/17 season before pursuing a career in coaching.
Pocognoli developed himself as a coach at Union Saint-Gilliose’s Under-21 team, Genk's Under-18 team and Belgium’s Under-18 team before taking his first role in management in 2024, and he’s now viewed as one of the most exciting young coaches in Europe.
In his debut season, the 38-year-old guided Union SG to a historic league title, their first in 90 years. After finishing third in the regular season behind Genk and Club Brugge, his side went unbeaten in the Championship Playoffs, winning nine of ten matches.
Union SG made their Champions League debut against PSV, winning 3-1 away but found their first home match much more challenging as they lost 4-0 to Newcastle United. However, on the whole they’ve made a strong start to the campaign, picking up 23 points from a possible 30 in their opening 10 matches to establish a three point lead over Club Brugge at the top of the table.
Why AS Monaco want Sebastien Pocognoli
Sebastien Pocognoli has strong credentials in management which are seen as huge green flags in the eyes of the AS Monaco board, who in the long-run want to see the team regain the league title for the first time since 2016/17.
Pocognoli is seen as a strong developer of young talent and someone that likes to play aggressive attacking-minded football. He’s also got a good record in the transfer market and is renowned for his excellent ability to recruit talent. If appointed, his tenure as Monaco boss will begin with an away trip to face strugglers Angers before a European test against Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur.