Toulouse (AFP)
A defeat, two, three ... elimination by fans of Saint-Pryvé / Saint-Hilaire, tenth defeat in a row, was too much for Toulouse, and Antoine Kombouaré, arrived in mid-October as a firefighter of service in place of Alain Casanova, was removed from office on Sunday.
To replace him, President Olivier Sadran appointed Denis Zanko, the director of the training center, who arrived in 2017 under the leadership of Pascal Dupraz, at the time trainer of the TFC and craftsman of a successful maintenance operation in spring 2016 despite 10 points late 10 days from the end. An example to repeat…
A laconic press release from the club formalized in the middle of the morning the departure of Kombouaré and the taking up of office by Zanko. Previously, President Olivier Sadran, who arrived in the locker room at 10:25 a.m., had announced the two pieces of information to the players himself. At 10:35 a.m., the club's boss left while the group went on an internship in Spain to prepare for Brest's arrival.
This appointment may not be enough to stem the club's crisis. For several weeks, a fringe of supporters have also been demanding the head of the deputy president Jean-François Soucasse. On Saturday, they forced the referee to stop the match for ten minutes.
- Angry supporters -
When Reims came in mid-December (0-1), a first incident had already opposed supporters, who had approached the presidential box, to stewards. In response, the club had offered to reimburse subscriptions to all disgruntled fans.
Kombouaré leaves a club in a catastrophic situation: ten losses in a row in all competitions, worst series in club history, a last place in L1 with 12 points, the worst defense (39 goals) and the 15th attack (19 goals) . And a club eliminated from the two national cups.
The history between Toulouse and Kombouaré had however started under the best auspices. After the announcement of the departure in mid-October of Alain Casanova, officially a joint decision of the club, ranked 18th, and the technician, Kombouaré arrived with his warlike speech to boost the morale of players already well underway.
In his usual style, with the recipe that had allowed him to save Dijon in extremis the previous season, Kombouaré, 56, also passed by Strasbourg, Valenciennes, Paris SG, Al-Hilal, Lens, and Guingamp wanted players with aggressiveness, not hesitating to "go to the tampon" ...
The first game had raised hopes. In the game scheme he favors, 4-4-2, the Kanak technician had passed his entrance exam with flying colors: the TFC had won with style before Lille (2-1).
- Arrival of reinforcements? -
The situation deteriorated after the defeat against Lyon, its second, conceded in overtime (3-2). Especially since it was followed by a totally missed match in Montpellier (3-0). The beginning of an infernal cycle, from which the team has not escaped.
Kombouaré, who officially kept an offensive speech, sought the solution to stabilize his defense, the basis in his eyes of the reconstruction. He multiplied the tactical schemes, in vain. Between injuries, suspensions or disappointing recruits (Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, Agustin Rogel), Toulouse continued its free fall.
The winter transfer window could have been his lifeline ... but contrary to expectations, there has so far been only one reinforcement, the Norwegian defender Ruben Gabrielsen. "We want other players," said Kombouaré on Friday.
Zanko, who takes over, is the ninth coach in the era of President Olivier Sadran after Erick Mombaerts (2001-2006), Elie Baup, (2006-2008), Alain Casanova (2008-2015 and 2018-Oct 2019), Dominique Arribagé (2015-2016), Pascal Dupraz (2016- Jan 2018), Mickaël Debève (Jan 2018- June 2018) and Antoine Kombouaré (Oct 2019-Jan 2020).
He is not a novice. He was at the head of Valence, Le Mans and Laval in Ligue 2. Each time, he managed to maintain his team. But without ever confirming the following season. This time, in any case, it is the maintenance that is asked of it.
© 2020 AFP