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And an Unexpected Move

Julien found himself once more on the outside, overlooked for the Grenoble head coach position—despite quietly believing that his years of loyalty and growth would finally be rewarded. When Grenoble appointed Maurizio Jacobacci as Philippe Hinschberger’s replacement, the Swiss coach arrived with his own trusted assistants, making it clear there would be little room for holdovers or sentimental appointments. Julien watched the transition unfold with a bittersweet mix of expectation and disappointment. His mentor Hinschberger invited him to join Amiens, but this time, Julien chose to stay. He waited—hoping a managerial door might open somewhere. Yet that call never came. Instead, he devoted the next year to his family and to developing himself, observing training sessions at major clubs and studying the tactics of Europe’s most successful managers. For the first time in years, football became private study instead of daily routine; and as the months passed, Julien grew more patient, wiser, and quietly determined for a future that was still just out of reach.

A year later, Julien’s phone rang unexpectedly. On the other end was newly appointed Le Havre manager Luka Elsner. Elsner had just taken the reins at Julien’s hometown club and was searching for an assistant with broad experience and tactical imagination. With barely concealed excitement, Julien agreed to join the project immediately—even before hanging up, he was picturing the club’s old stands, the sea air, the place where it all began.

Before accepting, Julien hesitantly pitched the idea at home. Camille was now 10 and Louis 7—both old enough to realize what a move would mean. But Le Havre, while distant from their life in the Alps, was no stranger. The family had spent many vacations there with Julien’s parents. Laura, quietly supportive as ever, simply took his hand and smiled: “If this is what you want, let’s do it.”

Elsner and Julien hit it off from the start, both on the training ground and in strategic planning. They challenged each other—Elsner with his vision and man-management, Julien with calm analysis and a willingness to experiment tactically. Though Le Havre was working on a tight budget with modest ambitions, the coaching team managed steady progress. They  brought through academy talents, and earned the respect of their league rivals. The city, and Julien’s parents, swelled with pride at his return.

Le Havre earned a stunning promotion to Ligue 1 in 2022/23—a return to the top flight that brought joy to both the city and Julien's family. In the season that followed, survival was always the target; together, they managed to keep the team up.

In the summer of 2024, everything changed. Stade de Reims came calling for Elsner—lured by a bigger budget, transfer flexibility, and the chance to chase Europe. Julien didn’t hesitate to follow: it was his first taste of working at a club with genuine European aspirations, and the project, the city, and the supporters all full of ambition. The first months in Reims were challenging rather than a whirlwind: inconsistent football, mixed results, and the team positioned in the mid-to-lower part of the table. By early 2025, hopes of a top-four finish had faded, with the club instead focused on securing safety from relegation.

Football is ruthless. Injuries struck, form collapsed, and a handful of painful defeats left the project wobbling just as expectations peaked. In April, club management decided to make a change as the team drifted towards relegation—a clean sweep of the coaching staff, including both Elsner and Julien.

For the first time in a decade, Julien was unemployed not by his own choice, but because football’s spinning wheel had cast him off. All the seasons, all the comebacks, and all the locker room talks—suddenly, he was on the outside looking in, with no club badge and no preseason to plan.

In the summer of 2025, something unexpected happened.