Former Nigeria international, John Utaka, has been appointed head coach of Montpellier’s women’s team in France.
John Utaka, 43, takes over from outgoing manager Frédéric Mendy and will share coaching duties with Baptiste Merle until the end of the season, working under the supervision of sporting director Jean-Louis Saez.
The appointment makes Utaka the only African head coach in France’s top-tier women’s league.
Utaka has a long history with Montpellier, having played a key role in the men’s team’s 2011-2012 Ligue 1 title win, scoring twice in the final match to secure the club’s first championship.
He returned in 2020 as a youth team attacking coach and briefly managed the women’s side in 2021.
After retiring in 2018, Utaka earned his UEFA A Licence in 2022 and most recently served as assistant coach for Montpellier’s U-19 men’s team.
Montpellier’s women are currently fifth in Division 1 Féminine with 27 points from 19 matches, 11 points behind third-placed Bordeaux. PSG and Lyon occupy the top two positions.
Utaka will also reunite with the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations winner and Super Falcons Forward Ifeoma Onumonu, who joined the club earlier this year.
Note that the retired Nigerian international has played for clubs in Nigeria, Egypt, Qatar, France, England, and Turkey before he switched to coaching.
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