Toulouse has regained its public and its ambitions
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Toulouse (AFP)- Solid leader of Ligue 2 seven days from the end, Toulouse is on track to find the elite, two years after leaving it through the back door, combining for the first time in a long time spectacle and popular enthusiasm.
“It would be a professional fault not to go up to Ligue 1,” assumed the young Toulouse central defender Anthony Rouault last weekend after the victory (2-1) in the clash at the top against Paris FC.
The success put his team ten points clear – and a largely favorable goal difference – from third place ahead of the trip to Guingamp on Saturday.
In a sold-out Stadium (28,032 spectators), unheard of for more than four years, Toulouse continued to win back a long-versatile public after several years of distrust of former president Olivier Sadran.
Relegation in the spring of 2020, after a nightmarish exercise (only three wins in 28 matches) interrupted before its end by the Covid, was the occasion for a major overhaul.
Taken over by the American investment fund Red Bird Capital, the TFC, transformed, has now reconciled with its supporters.
“An excellent fellowship”
“We started the season at home in front of 5,000 people. To be, 10 months later, facing 28,000 people, it shows that there is work done”, welcomed coach Philippe Montanier after the match against Paris .
“The president’s will is to give a mentality to the team. And I have the impression that people recognize themselves in this mentality. For some time now, there has been an excellent communion between the players and the public. “, insisted the 57-year-old technician, who could experience the second accession of his career after bringing Boulogne-sur-Mer to L1 in 2009.
The trusted man of the American owners, the president Damien Comolli is on the way to keeping his promise after having failed last season to immediately bring up the Haut-Garonne club, beaten by Nantes in the accession play-off (1-2, 1-0 ).
The biggest budget in the championship (around 20 million euros), “Toulouse is a Ligue 1 club in Ligue 2”, keeps repeating the leader, who has worked for Liverpool, Tottenham and Saint-Etienne. The bug should be fixed soon.
“Branco” at the head of the bow
If the “Téfécé” is flying over Ligue 2 this season, it owes it above all to a fiery attack, with 2.35 goals per game on average and some memorable displays, including the two 6-0 losses to Auxerre and Amiens.
Never had a team scored so much at this stage of the competition since the introduction of the single pool in 1998. Continuing at such a pace, Toulouse would come close to the 90-goal mark after the 38th day.
Dutch midfielder Branco van den Boomen is the figurehead of these alluring Violets. Trained at Ajax and bought 350,000 euros from De Graafschap, in Dutch D2, two years ago, he already has 18 assists and 12 goals to his credit.
What role could Toulouse play on the upper floor? “There’s no reason we shouldn’t be at the top of the Ligue 1 standings. I’m not talking about European places, but about the top 6-8,” President Comolli announced when he took over. function.
Once the rise is definitely recorded, the TFC, determined to assume its new objectives, should be quite active on the transfer market. In order to cover the team in the elite and to maintain the commitment.
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