Bruno Baltazar, the worst start for a coach at Stade Malherbe in 36 years

Appointed coach of Stade Malherbe Caen on December 29, 2024, Bruno Baltazar has played three matches since his appointment. The results are clear since the Portuguese failed to bring home a single point despite matches against opponents who were also in difficulty, including two played at the Michel d'Ornano stadium. If the bad results were already present this season before the arrival of Bruno Baltazar, it is clear that he doesn't have the best start of the history of Stade Malherbe coaches.

Furlan and Seube, two anomalies

We can start by emphasizing that his two predecessors had beginnings much more fruitful as Bruno Baltazar. Jean-Marc Furlan first, then Nicolas Seube, even if the end of their respective history with SM Caen was not successfulcontinued several consecutive victories for their first official matches as coach of the Rouge et Bleu. The first had managed to string together four victories in a row, without scoringand to place his team at the top of Ligue 2. We know the rest and the series of eleven games without a victory in the championship which earned him to be replaced by Nicolas Seube.

The former number 2 of SM Caen also experienced better results after taking over the reins of the team. Four wins and a draw in the first five matches on the Caen bench for d'Ornano's idol. He only experienced defeat in his eighth championship match. At that time, everyone thought that This Hero was still going come to the aid of Stade Malherbe.

Unheard of in over 30 years

Going back further, we see that few SM Caen coaches have obtained similar positive results to those of Jean-Marc Furlan or Nicolas Seube, just as quickly after taking office. Stéphane Moulin, the last coach to have completed several full seasons on the Caen bench, had two consecutive victories to start his mandate, before experiencing his first defeat.

Before him, Fabrice Vandeputte, at the head of the club for eight matches at the end of the 2020-2021 season, did not experience only one victory during his time on the bench: during his last match, thanks to Benjamin Jeannot's penalty which kept SM Caen in Ligue 2 (2-1). However, he had started by a draw at home against Pau (1-1). Pascal Dupraz, Rui Almeida, Fabien Mercadal and Patrice Garande all took at least one point in their first three matches.

We have to go back to Robert Nouzaret, arrived in 1988to find a coach who began his tenure as coach of SM Caen with three consecutive defeats. At the time, SM Caen was playing in Division 1, the elite of French football. Robert Nouzaret had suffered six defeats in a row before securing his first victory against Toulon (2-1).

Whether they had great starts or difficult beginnings, the last coaches at the head of Stade Malherbe have all ended their story in Normandy in pain. Let's hope that Bruno Baltazar finds a way to brighten the horizon of SM Caen.

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