Portugal Colonial - Puel back as Nice manager after Haise exits

Puel, who was previously in charge at Nice between 2012-16, "begins today his priority mission of improving the team's performance", Nice said in a statement.

Nice thanked Haise and his assistants "for their commitment and the work accomplished in the red and black colours and wishes Claude Puel a good return to the bench".

Puel spent his entire playing career with neighbouring Monaco before becoming manager of the club.

He then went on to manage Lille, Lyon and Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1, and Southampton and Leicester in England's Premier League.

Nice currently sit 13th in Ligue 1.

The Mediterranean team beat second-division Saint-Etienne in the French Cup last week to snap a club record nine-game losing streak.

Puel's naming comes less than 10 days after the return of former manager and club president Jean-Pierre Rivere to replace Fabrice Bocquet as club chief executive officer.

The club is owned by INEOS, the company of the British entrepreneur Jim Ratcliffe, who also has a 25 percent stake in Manchester United.

In November players, staff, and management had a run-in with 200 fans gathered in front of the training centre to express their anger at the Nice squad as it returned from a 3-1 loss at Lorient.

The club returns from their brief winter break with a home match against Strasbourg in Ligue 1 on January 3.

O.Gaspar--PC