Mickaël Debève Explained

Mickaël Debève
Full Name:Mickaёl Debève
Birth Date:1 December 1970
Birth Place:Abbeville, France
Height:1.82 m
Position:Midfielder
Youthyears1:1976–1984
Youthclubs1:JS Cambron
Youthyears2:1984–1986
Youthclubs2:Abbeville
Youthyears3:1986–1987
Youthclubs3:Toulouse
Years1:1987–1994
Clubs1:Toulouse
Caps1:139
Goals1:14
Years2:1994–2002
Clubs2:Lens
Caps2:198
Goals2:14
Years3:1999–2000
Clubs3:Le Havre (loan)
Caps3:27
Goals3:2
Years4:2002
Clubs4:Middlesbrough
Caps4:4
Goals4:0
Years5:2002–2004
Clubs5:Amiens
Caps5:60
Goals5:1
Years6:2004–2008
Clubs6:Abbeville
Totalcaps:428
Totalgoals:31
Nationalyears1:1990–1991
Nationalteam1:France U21
Nationalcaps1:8
Nationalgoals1:1
Manageryears1:2004–2008
Managerclubs1:Abbeville (player-manager)
Manageryears2:2008–2012
Manageryears3:2012–2013
Managerclubs3:Toulouse (academy manager)
Manageryears4:2013–2015
Manageryears5:2018
Managerclubs5:Toulouse
Manageryears6:2018–2020
Managerclubs6:Lens (assistant)
Manageryears7:2020
Managerclubs7:Standard Liège (assistant)

Mickaël Debève (born 1 December 1970) is a French football manager and former football player who played as a midfielder he is the currently assistant manager Ligue 1 club of Toulouse.

Football career

Born in Abbeville, Debève began his career at Toulouse; after a slow start - only four first-team appearances in three seasons, he became a main squad member. His first match in the top level came on 5 June 1987, in a 1–0 home win against Lens.

The most important part of Debève's career was spent at Lens, who he helped win the national league in 1998, adding the league cup the following year.[1] In the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League, he scored the game's only goal at Wembley, against English champions Arsenal, making Lens the first club from France to win at that ground.[2]

After totalling more than 400 official matches in his country, Debève moved to England with Middlesbrough in February 2002, arriving for free and rejoining former Lens mate Franck Queudrue.[3] He made his debut as a substitute in the FA Cup 6th round victory over Everton.[4] He was then thrust into the starting line up for the semi-final against Arsenal due to various injuries, making only his second Boro appearance against the team he had knocked out of the UEFA Champions League four years earlier. However, he could not prevent Boro losing 1–0.[5] He left in the summer, and closed out his career in France's second level, with Amiens.

Managerial career

Immediately after retiring, Debève became a manager, starting as player-coach with hometown side Abbeville.

Debève was named manager of Toulouse, the club where he started his playing career, on 23 January 2018, replacing Pascal Dupraz. Upon his appointment, Toulouse was 19th in Ligue 1 on 20 points from 22 matches (five wins, five draws, twelve losses), and facing relegation. In his first match in charge of Toulouse, they lost 2–0 away to Bourg-en-Bresse in the 2017-18 Coupe de France Round of 32.[6]

Notes and References

  1. News: Finale Coupe de la Ligue 1998/99 RC Lens - FC Metz . sitercl.com. 8 January 2020.
  2. Web site: Lens see off Arsenal's Euro hopes . The Guardian . 25 November 1998 . 10 October 2012.
  3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/middlesbrough/1845126.stm Debeve signs for Boro
  4. Web site: Middlesbrough thrash Everton . . 10 March 2002 . 10 October 2012.
  5. Web site: Arsenal break brave Boro . . 14 April 2002 . 10 October 2012.
  6. Web site: Fiche Toulouse Football Club. L'Équipe. 24 January 2018.