Raymond Domenech will have his first match with FC Nantes on Wednesday evening, on the occasion of the 18th day of Ligue 1, during a derby against Rennes.

A match already capital for the future of the Nantes club, 16th in the championship and which is currently struggling to maintain it. 

Ten years and several months after his stormy exit in South Africa as coach of the French football team, Raymond Domenech will find a bench during an official match on Wednesday, for the first Ligue 1 matches in 2021. The former consultant of the

L'Équipe

channel

will lead the Canaries of FC Nantes, at the head of which he was appointed a little over a week ago, against their great rival, Rennes, at 7 p.m.

Despite the huge stake of this derby, the dean of Ligue 1 coaches, 68 years old, should not have a tense face.

Since his arrival on the banks of the Loire, Raymond Domenech seems to have abandoned his costume of divisive character for a more smiling, affable attitude.

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The coach advocates "even more relationship" with his players

Because to succeed in the operation of maintaining the club's elite (Nantes is 16th with three points ahead of the 18th, Lorient), the 16th coach of the yellow and green house in 13 years must bring his group together.

Forgotten, "the mistakes" of the past for him.

Now, Raymond Domenech advocates "even more relationship" with his players.

He told the microphone of Europe 1 "to ask them more about what they expect, what they want, how they want it to work", with the objective of "really having a common idea together".

And despite the criticisms on the recent disappointing performances of the Canaries, "I find that it is a healthy group, which makes efforts", he assured Monday to the press, specifying that the team especially lacked of collective spirit. 

"The truth will be the match"

Raymond Domenech sees himself as a "coordinator", in charge of "allowing everyone to be the best possible".

Then it will be up to the players to act.

"The truth will be the match".

Thanks to this speech, the mayonnaise seems to take between the coach and his players.

"Everyone is smiling and everyone is making the effort. We are here to work together and do the best for the club," confirms Nantes captain Nicolas Pallois.

With his yellow and white tracksuit, Raymond Domenech led the first intense training sessions to try to save a drifting club.

Nantes have won only six times in 2020.