Descent fear, unexpected tribute… Why did Keita miss Komboare

Antoine Combauer will officially return to the helm of FC Nantes this Tuesday, replacing Jocelyn Gorvanek. Ten months after being dismissed from the same bench, the technician must be presented to the press in the early afternoon.

The perpetual waltz of the FC Nantes coach continues. After purchasing the club in 2007, president Valdemar Keita would have appointed (or reappointed) 19 coaches in 17 years. Unique model of instability and 3rd coach in a single season as in 2009-2010 (Gernot Rohr, Jean-Marc Furlan, Baptiste Gentilly) and 2020-2021 (Christian Gorcuff, Raymond Domenech, Antoine Combuer).

How to explain this unexpected return of Komboare that surprised many when the news leaked on Sunday afternoon? By the first panic that paralyzes the owner of FC Nantes as soon as the crisis of results is significant. It is far from the first time. Eight days to go, Nantes are 16th in Ligue 1 and two points adrift of the red zone.

Jocelyn Gorvanek’s results, it is true, have been disastrous, with a record of three victories in thirteen L1 matches, one of the worst records of a coach under Kita, Raymond Domenech (no success in eight matches) however. Despite everything, Gorvanek did worse than his predecessor, Pierre Aristoy, who arrived in November.

At the time, Valdemar and his son Frank Keita justified their choice by wanting to avoid the psychosis of relegation by appointing a more experienced coach, Gaurvanek. After 110 days, this psychosis returns like a boomerang in his head.

Why call up Antoine Combouret again, and not a new coach? Partly because of an interview Kanak gave to L’Equipe newspaper last week. Ten months after being sacked from Nantes, Comborre confirmed his desire to find the bench. He also recalled his fondest feelings as a coach at the helm of the Canaries, with victories in the Coupe de France in 2022 and the European Cup the following season.

“Choices are made, the situation calls for it”

Above all, he thanked Valdemar Keita who allowed him to experience this adventure full of emotions by appointing him as head of the team, even though he had twice refused approaches in previous years.

The unexpected tribute apparently touched the Nantes president, once again worried about the turn his club is taking. So, after Nantes’ new defeat against Strasbourg on Saturday, the idea of ​​Kombuare’s return took shape, leading to a tête-à-tête with general manager Frank Keita that same evening in Paris, according to L’Equipe and Ouest France.

Surprisingly, the relationship between Valdemar Keita and Antoine Comborre was anything but a love story during their previous collaboration. There was almost no contact between the two. Kombuar very quickly closed the door to his locker room and the door to his group to his president, sometimes apparently leaving him aside, which Kita felt very bad about. Was Waldemar Keita generous in this regard?

“I’m intelligent enough to put my ego aside and step back. The most important thing is the club,” he assured the press.

It is above all the prospect of relegation to Ligue 2 and the financial consequences that scares him. The most beautiful moments of this club’s recent history, without him, justifies recalling the coach who wrote in part.

“The choice has been made. The situation calls for it. I hope everyone stays positive”, we urge at the club. While key players such as Pedro Chirivella, Alban Lafont, Jean-Charles Castelletto, Nicolas Pelois and Moussa Sissoko are still there, the locker room officials will have been surveyed and will be favorable to this return of Kombuare.

Is this really the case, when many of them felt badly about some of Komboare’s media outings – “we are a shallow team” – causing a rift with his group? The Nantes players will return to the Jonellier pitches on Wednesday morning for the first training session of the week. With Antoine Comborre at his side for the end of the Championship, what promises to be uncertain and tense given the calendar. A trip to Nice is scheduled for the next day, then the Canaries will go on to challenge Lyon, Le Havre, Rennes, Montpellier, Brest, Lille and Monaco.

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