Top 5 longest serving football managers in the last 50 years

#3 Michel Le Millinaire: 24 years at Stade Lavallois

Michel Le

Millinaire

was a teacher who became a football coach

A former footballer who played at Laval, Michel Le Millinaire returned to the club as a manager in1968. And he stayed at the club for nearly two-and-a-half decades till 1992.

While Wenger may be known as Le Professeur (The Professor), Millinaire actually did hold a teaching post in the north-western region of France known as Mayenne. But he had to give that up when coaching became a full-time profession.

What makes his achievement even more miraculous was that he was never a big fan of football. But he eventually came around and accepted the challenge – something he has never regretted.

It wasn’t easy as he just about managed to keep the club among the elite only to see his hard work taken apart in the off-season with more ambitious clubs stepping in and taking his best players. By 1989, he was under pressure to leave even though he stayed loyal to the club. It wasn’t until 1992 that he was dismissed and replaced by his assistant.

Nevertheless, he joined Rennes and helped the club gain promotion to the first division. He would go on managing until he was legally bound to retire due to his old age.