Montpellier HSC boss Rene Girard has capped a remarkable campaign by picking up the Ligue 1 Coach of the Year award.

The 58-year-old has led his team to within one point of their first ever league title this season.

"Your peers give you this and that's really nice, but it's not what's going to make me win at Auxerre on Sunday," said Girard.

"For the time being, we've won nothing except qualifying for the Champions League. We have to do the necessary at Auxerre."

Girard beat former Paris Saint-Germain coach Antoine Kombouare, Lille's Rudi Garcia and Olivier Pantaloni of Ajaccio to the prestigious award.