FRA - France to name Bergeaud successor in the New Year

PARIS (National Team) - A successor to departed France coach Claude Bergeaud is set to be named between January 11 and February 16.

Bergeaud quit his post on Tuesday, claiming the political situation around the role made it untenable.

A committee comprising some of the leading names in French basketball has been set up to look at the state of the France team and give its assessment on how it should proceed.

It was established following the disappointing performance of Les Bleus in the recent EuroBasket, in which the team finished eighth.

That meant they missed out on a place in the pre-Olympic qualifying event ahead of the 2008 Beijing Games.

The working group will give its recommendations on January 11, and the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) will not name a new coach before then.

But FFBB president Yvan Mainini claims a successor will be installed by February 16, the day of the draw for the qualification matches for EuroBasket 2009.

Mainini confirmed the committee would be putting forward a candidate for the FFBB to go for.

"I am waiting for the working group to suggest someone," he said. "It could be a foreign coach."

Antoine Rigaudeau's name has been banded around as a possible replacement for Bergeaud.

The France great, who earned well over 100 caps for his country and won silver and bronze medals with Les Bleus at the 2000 Olympic Games and 2005 EuroBasket respectively, is currently vice-president at Pro A side Paris-Levallois.

The former Cholet and Pau-Orthez star was the MVP in the French league five times and played in the NBA with Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors.

He also had success in Italy with Virtus Bologna.

The 35-year-old has hinted previously that coaching the France team was one of his ambitions, but he has not taken charge of a club team yet after only retiring from playing in 2005.

"Antoine Rigaudeau has never put his name forward as a candidate," insisted Mainini.

FIBA