Jean VINCENT

After a prolific career as a player, with four French League titles and and 3 French Cup winners' medals obtained with Lille and then Reims, Jean Vincent went into football management in the 1950s and 1960s. As a player, he was a left winger, who also played for France at the World Cup Finals in 1954 and 1958, and he began his coaching career with Caen, who were playing in DH at the time (7th tier of French football), from 1964 onwards. After three seasons in Normandy, he left to manage FC La Chaux de Fonds in Switzerland, before returning to France three years later, to take charge of SEC Bastia in the First Division. Between 1972 and 1976, he took over the reins at Lorient, who were playing in the Second Division. In 1976, Nantes called on his services as a replacement for José Arribas. He stayed with the Canaries for six years, winning the French League title in 1977 and 1980. Halfway through the 1981/1982 season he left Nantes to take over the Cameroon National Team, who were playing at the World Cup in 1982. Despite remaining unbeaten in their three matches in the group stages, Cameroon were eliminated at the first hurdle. After the tournament, Vincent took over at Stade Rennais, taking over from Pierre Garcia with the objective of gaining promotion back to the First Division. In 1983, Rennes finished Champions of the Second Division under Vincent's leadership, promoted to the top flight in France. His first season with Rennes in the First Division would be a difficult one, however. Rennes finished bottom and were duly relegated back to Division Two. In 1984, the lack of sporting success on the pitch led to Vincent being relieved of his duties at Stade Rennais. In the years which followed, he bounced back with Casablanca in Morocco for two seasons, before taking the job as manager of the Tunisian National Team between 1986-1987. After this, he organised coaching sessions for youngsters before taking his retirement from footballing activities in 1995. Vincent passed away on 13th August 2013, aged 83.