Football
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Bordeaux part ways with under-fire coach Willy Sagnol

Coach Willy Sagnol has left Bordeaux, the club have announced.

Sagnol has endured a difficult season with Les Girondins, who are 14th in Ligue 1 and just five points above the relegation zone.

The former France full-back, who will turn 39 this Friday, publicly questioned his own position after a run of poor results and admitted the role sometimes left him craving "48 hours of sleep." He was then urged by club president Jean-Louis Triaud to keep his thoughts private.

He is also one game into a three-match touchline ban for what he described as "a joke" made to referee Frank Schneider after the Coupe de France defeat to Nantes. The club suspended goalkeeper Jerome Prior and defender Lamine Sane after "serious incidents" in the dressing room following that game.

With Sagnol watching from the stand, Bordeaux were thumped 4-0 by fellow strugglers Toulouse on Saturday. They have won just once in all competitions in February and March, conceding 22 goals in eight games.

The club are sufficiently concerned by that run to make a change, with their former goalkeeper Ulrich Rame taking temporary charge.

A statement on their official website read: "FC Girondins de Bordeaux and Willy Sagnol have ended their collaboration.

"This mutual decision, effective immediately, is justified by the current sporting situation.

"The club wish to thank Willy Sagnol for his work and his loyalty.

"The first team will be coached by Ulrich Rame, performance director with the academy, assisted by Eric Bedouet, Franck Mantaux, Pierre Espanol -- a coach at the club since 2011 -- and Mathieu Chalme."

The 43-year-old Rame, who played more than 500 games for the club between 1997 and 2011 and won 12 France caps, will meet the media at a news conference alongside Triaud on Tuesday.

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