Nantes have confirmed the return of Antoine Kombouare as the club's head coach following the sacking of Jocelyn Gourvennec.
The 60-year-old was previously in control of the Canaris reins from 2021 to 2023, replacing Raymond Domenech following the former France boss' ill-fated stint in the hotseat.
During his first spell at the Stade de la Beaujoire, Kombouare masterminded Nantes' run to Coupe de France glory in the 2021-22 season and also led Les Canaris to the final of last season's edition, where they were thrashed 5-1 by Toulouse.
Triumphing in the 2021-22 French Cup earned Nantes a spot in the Europa League for the 2022-23 campaign, where they finished second in their group to advance to the knockout round playoffs, only to be beaten 4-1 on aggregate by Juventus.
Kombouare successfully kept Nantes afloat in the top flight during his two-and-a-half years in charge, although they only stayed up in the 2020-21 season by beating Toulouse on away goals in the relegation playoff, before finishing just one point clear of the relegation zone last season.
Pierre Aristouy succeeded Kombouare for the 2023-24 season but was only in charge until the end of November, at which point former Lille head coach Gourvennec took the reins, but the 51-year-old's time in charge did not go to plan.
Le FC Nantes annonce l'arrivée d'𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗞𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗲́ au poste d'entraîneur principal de l'effectif professionnel en remplacement de Jocelyn Gourvennec.
— FC Nantes (@FCNantes) March 19, 2024
Gourvennec only won four of his 15 games at the Nantes helm, and his side were the victims of a Coupe de France shock in the sixth round, losing 1-0 at home to Ligue 2 side Stade Lavallois.
Les Canaris have also lost their last three games in Ligue 1 against Metz, Marseille and Strasbourg, leaving them in the relegation playoff spot in the top-flight table, just two points clear of Metz in the automatic demotion zone.
Following Saturday's 3-1 loss to Strasbourg, Nantes owner Waldemar Kita told L'Equipe that a managerial change was necessary if his side were to have a shot at staying up, saying: "It was a difficult thought process because [Gourvennec] is a great guy.
"We would really have wanted to keep him, but we didn't see a way out. Despite all the sympathy that we have for Jocelyn, when you see the players' behaviour, the results, an ensemble of things, there is no revolution.
"You can speak as much as you want, but at some point, you need an electroshock, to recreate a dynamic, recreate hope. If we do nothing, we're going down. Change was an obligation. We had no choice. I did this in the interest of the club."
Commenting on Kombouare's return before the club's official announcement, Kita added: "He said he was looking for a new team and he said that he had a good time at Nantes, that he felt Nantais. He is someone who knows how to manage a dressing room. We need someone respected."
Following the international break, Kombouare - who has also managed Paris Saint-Germain, Toulouse, Dijon, Al-Hilal, Strasbourg, Guingamp, Lens and Valenciennes - will make his return to the Nantes hotseat on March 31, when Les Canaris visit Nice in Ligue 1.
Ben Knapton
