Philippe Troussier

Troussier started his career in football as a player and would go on to become a professional with French Division 2 football club Angoulême in the 1976–77 league season. The following campaign he would leave to join Red Star 93, however his stay at the club was brief and he moved to Rouen. After several seasons with Rouen, Troussier's last professional club was Stade de Reims whom he played for until 1983. After having spent his whole professional career in the second division he moved into management.

Early coaching career

Troussier soon moved into management after gaining his coaching licences and achieved his first coaching position with the French Football Federation where he was allowed to manage a National football centre football club called Institut National du Football de Vichy or more commonly known as INF Vichy. The team were allowed to participate in the third tier and given exemption from promotion or relegation so the young players could develop. In his time with the team he led them into the 1983–84 league season where they came second within their group. The following season Troussier would coach CS Alençon in the French fourth division and spent three seasons learning how to manage an amateur football club. He would return to his former club Red Star 93 in the 1987–88 league season as their manager. In his time with the club he would guide them to second within the group and promotion to the second tier at the end of the 1988–89 league campaign. He would, however leave the club on 30 June 1989 to join second-tier club Créteil on a caretaker basis until 1 October 1989 when Bernard Maligorne took on the management position.

Move to Africa

Troussier's first move away from France started with Ivory Coast top division football club ASEC Mimosas where in his debut season he won the league championship. This would soon be followed by two further league titles and an endearment towards the country, which saw him gain citizenship with Ivory Coast.…

Phillipe Troussier and his wife converted to Islam in Morocco, acquiring the name Philippe Omar Troussier.