Kylian Mbappé has appointed former Manchester City defender Gaël Clichy as the new head coach of Stade Malherbe Caen to spearhead the third-tier club’s push for promotion.
Former Manchester City and France international Gaël Clichy has been named the new head coach of Stade Malherbe Caen, a move that signals a bold shift in the club’s strategy.
The appointment, confirmed on Monday, sees Clichy step into his first senior managerial role at the third-tier French side.
The club is currently operating under the majority ownership of Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé, who has expressed a clear ambition to modernize the club’s footballing structure following its recent relegation.
Clichy, a three-time Premier League champion, brings a wealth of elite-level experience to a team currently languishing in 10th place in the Championnat National.
Since retiring from play, the 40-year-old has deliberately built his coaching credentials, most notably serving as an assistant to Thierry Henry during France’s silver-medal run at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Caen hierarchy noted that Clichy “will bring to the Club his experience at the highest level, his knowledge of modern football, and his high standards.”
Accompanying Clichy is Marvin Esor, who joins a technical staff that remains otherwise unchanged.
The immediate priority for the new manager is to stabilize a campaign that has seen Caen struggle to find a positive rhythm despite the high-profile backing of the Mbappé family.
Managerial expectations are high as the club looks to climb back toward Ligue 2.
The statement concluded, “SM Caen welcomes this new coach and offers him its full support to meet the challenges of the second half of the season.”