John Utaka, former Super Eagles forward, has been appointed as the head coach of ASPTT Montpellier Football women’s team in France, sportresonance.com reports.
According to a club statement, Utaka is stepping into the role following the dismissal of Frédéric Mendy, and he will be supported by assistant coach Baptiste Merle and Sports Director Jean‑Louis Saez.
Speaking after his appointment, Utaka told Sport Resonance that their target is to gain promotion and to compete favourably with top teams at the national level.
“It is an amateur regional one team, and our objective is to compete at the national level to be able to play with Monaco and PSG reserve teams after our promotion hopefully next season.”
This appointment marks a significant step beyond the previous assignment of Utaka who worked with the youth teams of Montpellier and represents a rare opportunity for an African coach to lead in Europe’s women’s professional game.
His leadership is expected to usher in a new era for the team, blending tactical discipline with a passion for players development.
John Utaka earned his UEFA A coaching licence in 2022 and is currently working towards obtaining his UEFA Pro licence
He also earned over 40 caps for the Nigerian national team, representing the Super Eagles in multiple AFCON tournaments and FIFA World Cups.
