Pretoria - Henri Michel is the hot favourite to take over as Mamelodi Sundowns head coach.

The 61-year-old Frenchman was spotted with club president Patrice Motsepe in a suite during Sundowns’ shock 2-1 defeat to Bay United. (Earlier reports, on television that his compatriot, Roger Lemerre was seen with Motsepe are incorrect).

Like Lemerre, Michel has coached the French national team, guiding an excellent squad to third place in the 1986 World Cup, two years after coaching France’s Olympic gold medalist side.

He has coached in north and west Africa for many years, having led Cameroon, Morocco (from 1995-2000), Tunisia (he was fired despite their qualification for the 2002 World Cup), and Ivory Coast, who he led to the 2006 World Cup.

At club level, he has led two top sides, Moroccans Raja Casablanca, between 2003-04, where he won The Caf Cup in 2003, and Zamalek of Egypt.

Speculation has been rife for two weeks that Sundowns were poised to bring in a new coach. Early favourite was Dutchman Frank Rijkaard, but despite his wealth, Motsepe was turned off by Rijkaard’s asking price.