Roux ready for Sang et Or roar

FC Chornomorets Odesa will look to spoil Guy Roux's big night as the legendary coach takes charge of his first RC Lens home game on Saturday.

Surprise decision
The 68-year-old raised eyebrows across France as he announced his decision to come out of retirement to replace Francis Gillot at Lens having quit AJ Auxerre after over 40 years in charge in 2005. Roux has spent time since working at the Auxerre youth academy and as a pundit on TV, but is back and as keen as ever. A 0-0 draw in the first leg of the UEFA Intertoto Cup third-round tie against Chornomorets in Ukraine represented a gentle start to the new era for Roux, and his move north after decades in Burgundy seems to be going just as smoothly.

Goalless draw
"I feel at home here," he said. "I have been warmly welcomed and, for the moment, all my players are my friends. I am enjoying it because as the season goes on, it won't last." Roux earned his legendary status by taking Auxerre from the amateur leagues to the 1992/93 UEFA Cup semi-finals and then a French double in 1995/96. At Lens, president Gervais Martel has set him the task of guiding Les Sang et Or back into the UEFA Champions League. He said: "Theoretically, I have a team capable of flying high in the league and perhaps winning a cup - maybe domestically or the UEFA Cup. But don't be confused, there will be a moment in the season where we'll drop."

Dindane injured
Hopefully for the new coach, that moment is still at least a few months away. A knee injury will rule Ivory Coast striker Aruna Dindane out for the game against Chornomorets but the return of Kévin Monnet-Paquet from UEFA European Under-19 Championship finals duty will bolster his ranks as he looks to bed in some familiar players and a new team captain.

Auxerre charges
While Roux said he planned to "turn the Auxerre page" at Lens, three of his seven summer signings have been former charges from the Stade Abbé Deschamps, including striker Bonaventure Kalou who joined on Wednesday. However, his new captain is Lens through and through, with locally-born full-back Yohan Demont picking up the armband following Seydou Keita's departure for Sevilla FC. The skipper is excited about the new regime. "For the moment, we are totally sticking by Roux's methods even if they are very different from Gillot's," Demont said. "It's a new era for us and we'll see how it works out."