After 44 years at the club, he wanted to leave AJ Auxerre at the top, “rather before the decline than after”. The day after AJA’s coronation in the Coupe de France in 2005, Guy Roux closed one of the most glorious chapters in French football. During these four decades, this amateur player took the Burgundian club from the CFA to D1, with a French championship title, four French Cups and several European epics.
The Alsatian nevertheless found it difficult to cut the cord and continued to gravitate to the club for several months, something his successor, Jaques Sabrina, experienced very badly. Two years later, Guy Roux dove again. Not in Auxerre, but in Lens. Also in discussions with Bordeaux and Monaco, the technician allowed himself to be convinced by Gervais Martel. Not without his appointment becoming a matter of state. As a result of his great age, the LFP regulations prohibit a coach from practicing beyond the age of 65.
However, Guy Roux is not bitter. “ I don’t regret (the choice of Lens), I regret not having made them happy, he assured. Apart from the Auxerrois who I always cherish, they are the nicest people I have ever known. They brought tears to my eyes. I left along the settlements, they were in the garden applauding me every evening. The disappointment was me who gave it by not taking them where I wanted to take them. »