Erstwhile Nigeria’s international, John Utaka, 43, has been appointed as the head coach, the French side, Montpellier’s Women team.
The appointment of the former Nigerian forward follows the exit of former coach Frédéric Mendy.
Coach Usaka will work alongside Baptiste Merle until the end of the season, with support from the team’s sporting director, Jean-Louis Saez.
Utaka, who earned his UEFA A Licence in 2022 and has been working as an assistant coach with Montpellier’s U19 men’s team.
During his playing days, Utaka helped Montpellier’s men’s team win the Ligue 1 title in the 2011/2012 season, scoring two goals in the final match to seal the historic championship.
In 2020, he returned to the club as the youth teams coach for attackers and briefly managed the women’s team in 2021.
Montpellier’s women are fifth on the table in the French Division 1 with 27 points after 19 matches.
Known for his calm leadership, experience, and passion for the game, Utaka played in several countries, including Nigeria, Egypt, Qatar, France, England, and Turkey.
He is expected to bring a positive style of football, focusing on teamwork, discipline, and attacking play.
