Cardiff City Football Club is very pleased to announce the appointment of Sabri Lamouchi as First Team Manager.
Former Bluebird Sol Bamba will return to South Wales to assist Sabri as First Team Coach, with the two having previously worked together for the Ivory Coast national side. Dean Whitehead, Tom Ramasut and Graham Stack will remain in situ as part of Sabri’s new backroom team.
Speaking of Sabri’s appointment, Tan Sri Vincent Tan said: “I’d like to welcome Sabri to Cardiff City and offer him my full support. His appointment has come about following a period of serious consideration and reflection as to what is the best for our Club.
“I’m confident that Sabri will be able to deliver what we know this squad is capable of achieving and I look forward to the games that we have ahead of us.
“I’d also like to welcome back Sol to Sabri’s coaching staff, a sentiment I know that you will share. I want to thank Dean, Tom and Graham for their commitment and diligence during the interim period and am pleased that they will be part of our plans going forward.”
Born in Lyon, Sabri started his playing career with French club Alès before going on to win the Ligue 1 title with both AJ Auxerre and AS Monaco. A midfielder, he then spent time in Italy with Parma, Inter Milan and Genoa, before returning to France with Marseille in 2005; he also won 12 caps for the French national team between 1996 and 2001, scoring once.
The 51-year-old assumed his first managerial position with the Ivory Coast national team in 2012, leading Les Éléphants to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. In club management, he earned a spot in the UEFA Europa League with Stade Rennais during the 2017/18 season, and gained Championship experience with Nottingham Forest, helping them to a seventh-place finish in 2019/20.
Sol needs little introduction to Bluebirds supporters. The 38-year-old began his playing career at Paris Saint-Germain before getting his first taste of British football with Dunfermline Athletic in 2006. An Ivory Coast international with 46 caps, he spent time in the Championship with Leicester City and Leeds United prior to his move to South Wales in 2016.
Sol went on to become a key part of the City side, scoring ten goals in 118 matches and winning promotion to the Premier League in 2017/18.
A media conference with Sabri and Sol will take place later today.