FC Nantes – Antoine Kombouaré: “What we have achieved goes beyond my expectations”

Time flies by. A year ago, almost to the day, FC Nantes had a foothold in Ligue 2 after losing their last meeting of a chaotic season, against Montpellier, which sent them to the play-offs. Twelve months later, this same team with almost the same players has found the thread of its history to sign the best exercise of the Waldemar Kita era, ninth in Ligue 1 with 55 points and so many accomplishments. Magnified by the victory in the final of the Coupe de France, on May 7, which allows the Canaries to find Europe, from September. “It’s been beyond what we could have imagined“, smiles Antoine Kombouaré, who this Sunday takes stock of a season like no other. Interview.

The crazy success against Lens, a detonator of the season

What do you think is the strongest moment of this season?

If the balance sheet is grandiose, the important moment, the trigger, was the victory against Lens. For the first time, we capsized the Beaujoire. I heard the stadium rumbling in all directions. I then experienced my first great emotion. There, it moved. We always work in the spirit of telling the players that we have to succeed in giving emotions, to make sure that this public is fully satisfied, to make sure to give them a lot of joy, there, that was beyond than we could have imagined.

What was the importance of this victory for the coach that you are?

We set up a job and we hold a speech on a daily basis but, until then, we couldn’t manage to live that in a match. The fact that they did it made them realize that it was possible. We bathe the players with that but finally, they are able to do it. And when you’ve done it once, you can do it again.

I liked it because they understood that you had to work hard and be very disciplined to develop their talent.

Were you surprised by what your players achieved?

The players revealed themselves. There is the importance of the work done, but it is the players who do things. Often, in a team you have one, two, three executives on whom you rely, there I had eight. It’s quite unique. I had eight unbeatable starters : Alban Lafont, the three central defenders, Nicolas Pallois, Andrei Girotto, Jean-Charles Castelletto. In the middle, there was Pedro Chirivella and in attack, Moses Simon, Randal Kolo Muani and Ludovic Blas. Every time I made my team, I put these eight and there were three positions where it could turn. So it’s easy. There you have a base, a foundation, a solid framework.

Wasn’t your success to recreate an alchemy in this group in difficulty, last season?

Our success, that of the staff because I am there in front of you but all the members of my staff work like crazy, they are very present. I give the directions and they do the job. The symbiosis that exists between the workforce and us promotes the confidence of the players. They have the qualities but we made them emerge. They were allowed to show the fullness of their talent. I liked it because they understood that you had to work hard and be very disciplined to develop their talent. You put discipline in such a group and then you let them express themselves on the field.

Are you more proud to have a title or to have created a game identity for this team?

The two. Having an identity gave us a lot of strength, energy and landmarks. And this identity allowed us to make great matches and win a title.

“I am constantly in questioning”

Are you satisfied with the football produced this season?

Oh yes ! We scored 55 goals, that’s fine for boys considered like goats last year. We have a forward game. We want to score goals to put on a show and give emotions. Every coach dreams of that. We try to be solid but I like to see my team score. It happens because in a game you create a lot of chances. It gives confidence and finally, you score and when you put one, two, you always want to put more.

The work of the coach is highlighted because the players are good or very good.

Are you surprised by the total adherence of your players to your game principles?

What we achieved goes beyond my expectations. We think, we dream, even if I don’t sleep much, of many things. But to see a team score so many times, win so many matches, end up ninth with 55 points and above all to see the team win the Coupe de France, I’m happy with the work of my staff and proud of what the players have done. The work of the coach is highlighted because the players are good or very good.

Tactically, what was the biggest problem to manage?

The season is so long that there are different ones. We have to work to solve them. At the beginning of the week, I said to young coaches during a training course: “The further I go in my coaching career, the more experience I have and the less I know“Each start to the season is a blank sheet. We are all on the starting line and no one knows what will happen. The coach and the staff are working to reduce uncertainty as much as possible. But he Above all, you have to find answers to the unexpected. And when you do, you’re happy and often that leads to great moments.

Ludovic Blas said that you were able to go back on decisions today compared to the coach he knew at Guingamp?

I am constantly questioning myself. I adapt, I don’t do what I want. I do according to the qualities of my players, their form, their level of confidence, the classification. So I spend my time being flexible. Otherwise, I bury myself and the players no longer want to work with me, they are bored.

Do you feel like you’ve harnessed the full potential of this group this season?

I do not know. I assume thatwe don’t set limits.