Antoine Kombouaré, new coach of a drifting FC Nantes, spoke on Thursday of his joy to find his "club of heart" while ensuring that he was aware of the difficulty of his mission: to maintain a failed team in Ligue 1 .
“Pressure, I've always had it.
It is important and I like it (...).
I'm a big boy, I know what I'm doing, ”said the former Canaries central defender (1983-1990) during his presentation to the press.
He who had saved Dijon from relegation in 2018 and Valenciennes on several occasions, admitted to having accepted the challenge as a "personal revenge" after his failure last season in Toulouse.
The TFC was last in Ligue 1 when he arrived and always last when he left, at the beginning of January 2020: “I only played 10 matches.
I was not given time to finish my work (...).
Here, I am given the chance to put things right ”.
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Nantes: Domenech (already) takes the door, Kombouaré appointed in his place
Contacted Monday evening by the Kita family to take the reins of FC Nantes, of which he has become the 16th coach (not counting the interim) since 2007, he gave his agreement on Wednesday, with a contract until the end of the season and a automatic extension of two years only in the event of retention in the elite.
He had already refused twice in the past, he revealed, without really explaining why the third time was the right one.
"The transplant did not take"
Franck Kita about Raymond Domenech
At his side, Franck Kita, deputy director of the club and son of Waldermar Kita, recognized the failure of Raymond Domenech, the surprise bet of the end of December, sacked Wednesday after six weeks, seven matches and no victory.
“The transplant did not take.
You have to know how to accept your mistakes.
We had to react quickly: there are few games left, but enough to keep up, he said.
I think we just need a recovery in hand with a strong coach for things to get better ”.
While refuting the idea of a “commando operation”, Kombouaré also spoke of a “overhaul” of the team.
"The players are at their worst, in great sporting and mental difficulty, you have to be near them, discuss, work," he explained.
While adding: "They know that they are bad, if they are there, it is also a bit of their fault".
To mark this "new start", Kombouaré also arrives with two faithful, Yves Bertucci as assistant and Michel Dufour as physical trainer.
Patrick Collot and Cyril Moine, the holders of these two functions so far, are on the start, confirmed Franck Kita.
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