Fabien Mercadal

Mercadal began his managerial career as an assistant at his final playing club, Gap FC, before being their head coach between 2005 and 2008 in the fourth-tier Championnat de France Amateur. For the next four years he was assistant at Amiens SC in Ligue 2 and the Championnat National;^[2] he was interim manager on 23 October 2009 in a 1–0 loss at ES Troyes AC. Known for his passion, he vomited after defeat in his early career.^[3]

In June 2012, Mercadal was hired at fourth-tier USL Dunkerque, winning promotion in his first season.^[4] After coming 5th, 6th and 6th in the third tier, he was appointed at Tours FC in Ligue 2 in June 2016.^[5] He drew 0–0 at home to Ajaccio on his professional career debut on 29 July, and was dismissed on 18 February 2017 with his team in last.^[6]

Mercadal found another job in Ligue 2 in June 2017, being hired by Paris FC, who had been restored to the division after the administrative relegation of SC Bastia.^[7] He came 8th in his one season at the Stade Charléty, and was eliminated from the eighth round of the Coupe de France 3–2 at third-tier Entente SSG.^[8]

On 8 June 2018, Mercadal was announced as the manager of Ligue 1 side Stade Malherbe Caen on a three-year deal, with Paris FC being compensated for the last year of his contract.^[9] His top-flight debut on 12 August was a 3–0 loss at reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain FC.^[10] His team reached the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France via a 7–5 win at Bastia on 5 February 2019.^[11] He left by mutual consent on 25 May, after a 1–0 home loss to FC Girondins de Bordeaux on the final day and relegation to Ligue 2.^[12]

In July 2019, Mercadal was hired in the first foreign job of his career, at Cercle Brugge K.S.V. in the Belgian First Division A.^[13] He was fired on 7 October after losing nine of ten league games and losing 1–0 at home to fourth-tier R.U.S. Rebecquoise in the sixth round of the Belgian Cup.^[14]

On 16 May 2020, Mercadal returned to Dunkerque on a two-year contract, with the team newly promoted to Ligue 2.^[15] Having avoided the relegation play-off on goal difference in his one season back at the Stade Marcel-Tribut, he left by mutual consent.^[16]

Mercadal returned to work in Ligue 2 on 4 January 2022 at Quevilly-Rouen, signing an 18-month deal at the 11th-placed club.^[17] In May he received a four-match ban, of which two were suspended, for an obscene gesture on his return to Caen.^[18] He left for personal reasons at the end of the month.^[19]

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (September 2021)

As of match played 5 October 2019

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Gap		1 July 2005	1 July 2008	104	42	38	24	150	110	+40	040.38
Dunkerque		3 June 2012	7 June 2016	155	73	45	37	227	142	+85	047.10
Tours		13 June 2016	18 February 2017	27	4	9	14	30	45	−15	014.81
Paris FC		21 June 2017	2 June 2018	42	17	14	11	51	41	+10	040.48
Caen		8 June 2018	25 May 2019	43	9	13	21	40	62	−22	020.93
Cercle Brugge		19 June 2019	7 October 2019	11	1	0	10	8	28	−20	009.09
Total				382	146	119	117	506	428	+78	038.22