Antoine Kombouaré’s return to FC Nantes was confirmed on Tuesday. Only one yr after being sacked by Les Canaris, membership president Waldemar Kita instigated his return to the Beaujoire with the membership at the moment occupying the relegation play-off place in Ligue 1 with simply eight video games remaining.
It was the worry of relegation that led Kita to half methods with Kombouaré in quite acrimonious circumstances, and it’s the worry of relegation that brings him again. Having sacked Pierre Aristouy earlier within the marketing campaign, his alternative, Jocelyn Gourvennec, was sacked following Nantes’ 3-1 defeat to RC Strasbourg Alsace over the weekend. The previous Lille OSC supervisor misplaced 10 of his 15 video games in command of Les Canaris in all competitions.
🗞️ | Right now’s @guardian x @GFFN: When will Nantes study that sacking managers is just not the reply?https://t.co/8kZK7WzxU9
— Get French Soccer Information (@GFFN) March 18, 2024
Following Kombouaré’s interview in L’Équipe final week, throughout which he acknowledged that he was in search of a brand new problem, Kita was satisfied that he was the person to guide Nantes to security, regardless of his tense relationship with the previous Paris Saint-Germain supervisor.
‘We’ll each be pleased when our membership continues to be in Ligue 1 come the tip of the season’ – Kombouaré
Talking at his presentation on Tuesday, alongside Waldemar’s son, Franck Kita, Kombouaré opened up on his relationship with Les Canaris’ proprietor. “I spoke [with Waldemar] in fact as a result of if I’m right here, it’s due to him. It’s him that introduced me again. He instructed me: ‘Regardless of the connection that now we have had… you’re a powerful character, I’m a powerful character, that we don’t hit it off is one factor, a very powerful factor is that Nantes stay in Ligue 1,” started Kombouaré.
He added, “If he thinks I’m the person for the job as a result of it’s him that decides, then I’m flattered and I’m pleased to be right here. We’ll each be pleased when our membership continues to be in Ligue 1 come the tip of the season.”
GFFN | Luke Entwistle