South African coach Jake White revealed on Friday that he has been asked by Montpellier president Mohed Altrad to remain on as coach of the French Top 14 side.
White, South Africa’s 2007 World Cup winning coach, was brought in to replace Fabien Galthie who was suspended on December 29 after a string of defeats.
“The president wants me to stay,” White said in an interview published on Friday in l’Equipe and Midi Libre newspapers.
“I’m here for six months. For the good of the club it’s important that the players know who will be the coach next season. The president (Altrad) wants me to stay longer,” said White.
“If my wife is happy here, if the president thinks that we’re going to get along well together, then yes it will be a possibility. But for the moment nothing is decided.”
White took over after the club’s 27-0 defeat at Castres on a six-month consultant’s contract with Galthie’s initial suspension prolonged on January 9.
Altrad branded former France rugby captain Galthie’s tenure as a “failure” after they lost eight out of nine matches.
Under White’s guidance Montpellier, currently eighth in the Top 14, have beaten French and European champions Toulon (16-12), but lost a French Top 14 clash at Oyonnax (20-13) and a European Challenge Cup tie at Glasgow (21-10).