Paris:French football club Lille appointed Franck Passi as its head coach, taking over from interim coach Patrick Collot, who replaced Frederic Antonetti in November 2016.

Paris - Lille is to appoint former Marseille coach Franck Passi to replace caretaker manager Patrick Collot, the new president of the Ligue 1 struggler told AFP on Tuesday.

"Franck Passi will replace Patrick Collot, as part of a wider game plan," Lille president Gerard Lopez said.

Lille is 17th in Ligue 1, just a point above the relegation zone after a third straight defeat at the weekend.

Lopez, a colourful technology tycoon and former owner of Formula 1 outfit Lotus, bought a 95 percent stake in Lille two weeks ago.

Appointed in November 2016, the 49-year-old Collot steadied the side after it tumbled as low as 19th in the league, but has never qualified for the Ligue 1 coaching certificate, and triggered a €25,000 fine every game he oversaw.

Passi himself was fired at Marseille this season after less than a year in charge.IANS