Monaco rehire former manager Leonardo Jardim after sacking Thierry Henry
Ligue 1 club Monaco have endured one of their most dismal campaigns in French top tier football. The French team is 19th in the league table after picking up just 15 points from 21 matches. Monaco, who had hired former Arsenal hero Thierry Henry earlier this season as their manager, sacked him on Friday. They have rehired Leonardo Jardim. Here's more.
Jardim has returned for a second spell as Monaco coach. He was earlier sacked just over three months. Jardim has signed a deal until June 2021. The Portuguese football manager will take charge of the team for the upcoming League Cup clash against Guingamp. He had earlier been here for four years (2014-2018). Jardim had led Monaco to the league title in 2016-17.
The club's vice-president Vadim Vasilyev said that Jardim should have been given the opportunity to continue as manager. "Leonardo should have had an opportunity to continue. The decision to dismiss Leonardo Jardim was also premature," he said. Vasilyev added, "We believe our players will gain momentum and that, together with Leonardo Jardim as the manager, Monaco will be able to overcome this crisis."
The 2016-17 Ligue 1 Manager of the Year has a decent record at Monaco. He has managed the club in 232 matches with a win percentage of 53.88. In 2016-17, Jardim had also led Monaco to the semi-final of the Champions League.
Henry will see this as a missed opportunity. The Frenchman managed just five wins in all competitions during his stay at the club. The 5-1 home defeat by Strasbourg was Henry's last league game in charge for Monaco. Since his arrival in October, Henry managed to eke out just two wins in the Ligue 1.
"It is with great sadness that I part company with AS Monaco. Despite the struggles and difficulties that we encountered along my short journey, I have still thoroughly enjoyed my time at this wonderful club," Henry said in a statement.
