Didier NOTHEAUX

Didier Notheaux initially began his career as a professional footballer at FC Rouen as a youngster in 1970, where he played as a defensive midfielder. After four seasons with the club which developed him, he was transferred to RC Lens in 1974 for two seasons which proved to be disappointing. In 1976, he left for Brittany, where he joined Stade Rennais in the First Division. He would stay there for one single season, playing 37 matches in central defence, but he was unable to prevent his team to get relegated to the Second Division. In 1977, he returned "home " to Rouen for three seasons which didn't go to plan, and he decided to hang up his boots and finish his professional career. In 1980, he became Player-Manager with Lisieux in the Third Division and Fourth Division successively. His managing career finally took off at Le Havre in 1983. He achieved promotion to the First Division in 1985, after winning the Second Division championship. Under his stewardship, the Normandy club would stay there for two seasons, before eventually being relegated in 1988. The following season, he left to coach Mulhouse, with whom he would also gain promotion to, and relegation from, the First Division. After spending two seasons at Mulhouse, he joined Reims for one season. In 1991, he was called to return to Stade Rennais as a replacement for Raymond Kéruzoré, after the club had suffered a catastrophic season. Unfortunately, the Red and Blacks were relegated at the end of the 1991/1992 season, but Notheaux retained the confidence of the club's board and stayed another season. In 1992/1993 he failed to achieve promotion back to the First Division, and it would herald the end of his stay at the club, Michel Le Milinaire taking over in the role of First Team Manager. From 1993-1997, he would stay in France, managing Valence, Sochaux and Saint Denis-Saint Leu. In 1998, he left to take over the national team of Burkina Faso, before returning to mainland France in 2000 to manage Valence once more, for three seasons. In 2005, he had a brief spell at Guangzhou in China as Director of Football, and in 2006 he took over Benin's national team and then returned to run the Burkina Faso national team in 2007.