Hantz steps down as Metz coach

Relegated Ligue 1 side FC Metz announced on Wednesday an early departure of head coach Frederic Hantz at the end of the season following mutual agreement between the club and the coach.

The current contract would have bound Hantz with the French club until June 2019, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Frederic Hantz and Bernard Serin (the club's President) have decided today and by mutual agreement, after regular exchanges held for several weeks, that they would put an early end to their collaboration at the end of the 2017-2018 season, after last match between Metz and Bordeaux," Metz, already set to feature in Ligue 2 next season, said in a statement.

Hantz took over as the Metz head coach following the dismissal of Philippe Hinschberger at the start of this season, while failing to maintain the team in the elite French league.

Metz were firmly restrained at the bottom with just 26 points prior to Saturday's matchup against Bordeaux.

The French coach admitted that "not everything has been implemented" to accomplish the goal in an interview with French sports daily L'Equipe last week.

Metz added that assistant coach Arnaud Cormier will also leave the club.

--IANS

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