Éric Rabésandratana

Éric Rabésandratana (born 18 September 1972) is a professional football manager and former player who is the caretaker manager of the Madagascar national team. He played mainly as a defensive midfielder – he could also operate as a central defender. Born in France, he represented Madagascar internationally.

Éric Rabésandratana
Personal information
Date of birth (1972-09-18) 18 September 1972
Place of birth Épinay-sur-Seine, France
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 (none)
Youth career
Saint-Ouen l'Aumône
1989–1990 Nancy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1997 Nancy 231 (35)
1997–2001 Paris Saint-Germain 101 (5)
2001–2002 AEK Athens 0 (0)
2002–2004 Châteauroux 28 (1)
2004–2007 Mons 74 (6)
2008-2013 Agioi 91 (8)
Total 434 (47)
International career
1991–1994 France U21 / Olympic
2007 Madagascar 1[lower-alpha 1] (0)
Managerial career
2014–2015 Miami City Champions (assistant)
2021–2022 Madagascar (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

In a 17-year professional career he appeared in 191 Ligue 1 games over the course of seven seasons (15 goals), in representation of Nancy and Paris Saint-Germain.

Club career

Born in Épinay-sur-Seine, Paris, Rabésandratana was brought up at AS Nancy's youth ranks, being promoted to the first team at age 18 by coach Aimé Jacquet, who would later manage the French national team. He made his Ligue 1 debut on 8 September 1990 in a 4–1 away loss against Stade Malherbe Caen, and remained an undisputed starter throughout the duration of his spell – in the 1995–96 season, the defensive-minded player scored a career-best 16 league goals as Les Chardons promoted from Ligue 2, only to be relegated the following year.[1]

In 1997 Rabésandratana moved to Paris Saint-Germain F.C., helping the club to the Cup, League Cup and Supercup in his debut year,[2][3] and eventually gaining the club captaincy. However, with the arrival of new coach Luis Fernández, he gradually lost his importance.[4]

After a turbulent season with Greece's AEK Athens,[5] Rabésandratana returned home and signed with lowly LB Châteauroux. Two years after he moved to Belgium with R.A.E.C. Mons, which he helped promote in his second year, going on to be mainly used as a substitute during his spell.

International career

In 2007, Rabésandratana played for the Madagascar national team in a friendly with Toulouse FC, but this was never sanctioned by FIFA.

Coaching career

Rabésandratana retired professionally in 2007 at the age of 35, and focused on obtaining his coaching degree. He began working as a manager with the under-18 team at Jeunesse Sportive Juridiction de Saint-Émilion.[6]

In 2014, Rabésandratana co-founded the United States Champions Soccer Academy with fellow former footballer Wagneau Eloi and entrepreneur Ravy Truchot. Additionally, he served as programming director and Eloi's assistant coach of the FC Miami City Champions, a new Premier Development League expansion franchise.[7][8]

In April 2021, the Malagasy Football Federation announced Rabésandratana would serve as caretaker manager for Madagascar, following Nicolas Dupuis' suspension.[9]

Notes
  1. Not sanctioned by FIFA

References
  1. Portraits d’anciens du PSG: Cissé, Rabesandratana (Profiles of PSG oldies: Cissé, Rabesandratana); PSG Mag, 14 October 2010 (in French)
  2. "PSG – Bordeaux 2-2 (4-2 tab), 04/04/98, Coupe de la Ligue 97-98". archivesparisfootball.wordpress.com. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  3. "PSG – Lens 2-1, 02/05/98, Coupe de France 97-98". archivesparisfootball.wordpress.com. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  4. Rabesandratana – "Je n'ai pas touché Ravanelli" (Rabesandratana – "I did not touch Ravanelli"); Planète PSG, 5 January 2008 (in French)
  5. AEK chase title dream; UEFA.com, 11 January 2002
  6. Des nouvelles de... Eric Rabesandratana (News of... Eric Rabesandratana); Foot Mercato, 23 January 2010 (in French)
  7. Trois Français lancent une ambitieuse académie de football à Miami (Three Frenchmen launch ambitious football academy in Miami); France-Amérique, 12 June 2014 (in French)
  8. Eloi et Rabésandratana, Miami Vice (Eloi and Rabésandratana, Miami Vice); So Foot, 5 February 2015 (in French)
  9. "Nicolas Dupuis: Madagascar coach suspended". BBC Sport. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
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