Who is Strasbourg’s New Director of Recruitment and Talents?
Meet Grégory Thil: From Prolific Striker to the Heart of BlueCo's Vision at RCSA
Written by BlueCo Xtra Editor | June 17, 2025
Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace has entered a new era of squad building, and at the forefront would be a man called Grégory Thil. An expert whose footballing journey has come full circle, from lighting up Ligue 2 as a prolific goal scorer to now shaping the next generation of talent under the ambitious BlueCo multi-club model.
As a Footballer: A Legend at US Boulogne
Thil, now 45, is best remembered as a lethal forward. US Boulogne’s all-time leading scorer with an impressive 106 goals in 225 appearances. His name still echoes in the terraces of Boulogne-sur-Mer, where he became a fan favourite during the club’s memorable rise to Ligue 1 in the late 2000s.
His playing career spanned multiple clubs:
AS Beauvais Oise, where it all began.
A defining stint at US Boulogne (2005–2011), making him a club icon.
Dijon FCO during their Ligue 1 adventure.
Loaned to LB Châteauroux, followed by spells at Jura Sud Foot and Racing Besançon, before retiring.
In total, Thil accumulated over 575 career appearances across all levels of French football.
As a Scout, The Builder: His Post-Retirement Rise
After hanging up his boots, Thil transitioned seamlessly into a backroom role:
RC Lens brought him in as a scout (2020–2022), where his eye for raw talent caught attention.
He rose to become Chief Scout, then Director of Recruitment, and by late 2022, he was promoted to Technical Director after the then Technical Director, Florent Ghisolfi, decided to move to OGC Nice.
Some of his success stories are:
He is credited with identifying and bringing in players who have significantly contributed to the club's resurgence in Ligue 1, including their impressive second-place finish in the 2022/23 season, despite limited resources.
Here's a more detailed look at his contributions:
Scouting Network: Thil played a key role in building RC Lens's scouting network, which was instrumental in finding hidden talents from less prominent leagues and clubs.
Identifying Key Players: The players he helped bring in were crucial for filling gaps left by departing stars and contributing to the team's success, particularly during their strong 2022/23 season. An example is Abdukodir Khusanov, for a meagre €100,000 in 2023, but later sold for around €50Million to Manchester City.
But the role wasn’t without turbulence; the summer of 2023 proved difficult. With key departures — Seko Fofana and Loïs Openda — RC Lens struggled to maintain momentum. RC Lens management then offered Thil a return to his old post as Recruitment Director, but he chose to walk away, looking instead to sharpen his expertise for the long term.
Studying Club Management at Limoges
In a move that shows ambition beyond short-term roles, Grégory Thil enrolled in a two-year elite training programme at the renowned Centre de Droit et d’Économie du Sport (CDES) in Limoges.
There, he completed the DU Manager Général de Club Sportif Professionnel, a prestigious university diploma designed for seasoned professionals. The course bridges the worlds of football, law, economics, and management, preparing future leaders for the complexities of running a modern-day professional club. This wasn’t just a career break. It was a statement of intent.
The BlueCo Chapter: Leading the Strasbourg Rebuild
Now, having completed his transformation from goal-getter to modern-day football executive, Grégory Thil returns to the big stage, this time at Racing Club de Strasbourg, where the BlueCo sporting project is gathering serious momentum.
As Director of Recruitment and Talents, he will work closely with Sam Jewell, BlueCo’s Global Director of Recruitment, to lead the club’s 2025/26 summer transfer campaign. Together, they aim to reshape Liam Rosenior’s squad, aligning every move with both UEFA squad regulations and long-term multi-club strategy.
This appointment isn’t just about adding names to a squad list; it’s about building a sustainable, competitive core that reflects Strasbourg’s growing ambition under BlueCo ownership. Strategic signings. Tactical balance. Long-term cohesion.
Grégory Thil’s journey—grounded in experience, education, and an eye for talent- makes him a natural fit for this mission.
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