Official: Nice manager Frank Hayes has been sacked, and Claude Pierre will succeed him.

Nice officially announced on Monday that they have parted ways with head coach Frank Hayes, effective immediately. With Hayes's departure, the contracts of his assistant coaches Lilian Nalis and John Ramare will also be terminated.

The 54-year-old Hayes previously managed Mayenne, Shanger, Lorient, and Lens. The highlight of his career was leading Lens to a Ligue 1 runner-up finish in 2023, securing Champions League qualification after a 21-year absence. His performance at Lens garnered significant attention, ultimately leading to his signing by Nice in 2024 for a release clause exceeding €2 million.

In his first season in charge of Nice, Hayes led the team to a fourth-place finish in Ligue 1, securing a Europa League spot. However, Nice's performance across multiple competitions this season has fallen short of expectations: before Hayes' dismissal, Nice suffered a six-game losing streak in the league and currently sits in 13th place with 17 points (5 wins, 2 draws, 9 losses). Their Europa League form has also been poor, with three losses and them bottom of the table.

Faced with a dire relegation battle, Nice decided to terminate Hayes' contract, which was originally set to expire in June 2027. As for Hayes' successor, Nice had already made arrangements. They decided to entrust the first team to Claude Pierre until the end of the season.

The 64-year-old Pierre has managed several top English and French clubs, including Monaco, Lille, Lyon, Southampton, Leicester City, and Saint-Étienne. His accolades include the 1999/00 Ligue 1 title, the 2000/01 French Super Cup, and the 2004/05 Intertoto Cup. He also managed Nice from 2012 to 2016, achieving a record of 69 wins, 34 draws, and 66 losses.

Regarding this decision, Nice President Jean-Pierre Rivière explained: "Claude Pierre was a natural choice. In my opinion, he was the most suitable person. I know Claude—as he said, the more difficult the task, the more he enjoys it."

“I then spoke with Maurice Cohen and we agreed that I would contact him. I was delighted to speak with Claude again about football. He is very decisive in making decisions and has put in tremendous effort for many things at the club. I can feel his love for FC Nice.”

“We have finally reached an agreement on all aspects, and today I am able to introduce Claude to everyone. He will be the head coach of Nice and will shoulder the responsibility of avoiding relegation, which I have repeatedly emphasized. As a competitive team, we will certainly consider other possibilities, but our priority right now is to successfully avoid relegation.”