Jean-Denys Choulet, an alternative to Julien Cortey for SCABB?
ELITE 2 - As announced, Julien Cortey is indeed the frontrunner to take over SCABB after Guillaume Quintard's dismissal. Le Progrès confirms this trend on Tuesday, while also mentioning Jean-Denys Choulet as a possible alternative and Laurent Pluvy, more likely for a sporting director role.
Photo Credit : Tuan Nguyen
Last in ELITE 2 with only one win in six games and the worst defense in the league, the SCABB has made its decision. The Loire club has parted ways with Guillaume Quintard, who was appointed last offseason, hoping to spark a collective turnaround before hosting La Rochelle on Friday.
Meanwhile, Allan Ferraton, his assistant, is serving as interim coach alongside Mathieu Guichard and Maxence Collignon. Sporting Director Cyrille Chapot, who was criticized as Guillaume Quintard didn’t have free rein to compose his staff or modify his roster, could also pay the price for the catastrophic season start.
Julien Cortey, the priority candidate
45-year-old Julien Cortey is currently the leading candidate to succeed Guillaume Quintard. The former La Rochelle coach, who engineered the club’s promotion to Betclic ELITE in 2024, remains deeply connected to the Roanne region. Available since leaving Charente-Maritime, he checks many boxes: experience, charisma, and knowledge of Loire basketball.
Choulet and Pluvy also mentioned
Another potential candidate is Jean-Denys Choulet, 67, two-time French champion with Roanne (2007) and Chalon-sur-Saône (2017). Available since his Polish venture, the coach, like Julien Cortey, is based near Roanne awaiting a call. He previously worked extensively with… Guillaume Quintard at Chorale. Among experienced coaches, Eric Girard’s name is also circulating in rumors.
Finally, Laurent Pluvy’s name is also mentioned, but rather for the sporting director position. The former Andrézieux coach, semifinalist in the Nationale 1 playoffs in 2023, is also unattached since leaving Nantes. It was… Guillaume Quintard who succeeded him on Andrézieux’s bench.
SCABB wants to decide quickly
The club isn’t rushing to choose its coach, knowing that roster changes are possible in parallel. In five months, two coaches have already left their position at Saint-Chamond, contrasting with the historical stability of the Alain Thinet – Maxime Nélaton duo over nine seasons. The stakes are clear: avoid sinking deeper into the red zone of an increasingly competitive ELITE 2.
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve est le fondateur et rédacteur en chef de BeBasket, qu’il anime depuis 2010 (sous le nom de Catch & Shoot). Passé par l’Ecole Publique de Journaliste de Tours, puis deux universités en Amérique du Nord, il a pu développer son expertise sur le basket français, de la Ligue Nationale aux divisions amateurs, durant ces 20 dernières années. En parallèle, il est aussi engagé dans le développement de clubs du côté de Montpellier.
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