“You need to question yourself”, Kombouaré’s rant towards journalists

He was expected for the presentation of former Lyon player Anthony Lopes, but it was for a completely different reason that FC Nantes coach Antoine Kombouaré presented himself to the press. During a speech that lasted about two minutes, the 61-year-old man attacked the journalists present in the room.

“I made a decision today, you will quickly understand why, you journalists must also question yourselves. That's my point of view, you're not going to agree but I don't really care. What bothers me a lot is that you were all unanimous and above all categorical on the fact that today I will no longer be the coach of FC Nantes. Everyone, everyone here in the room. There was only one person who apologized. I would have liked to expect from you either writings to the effect that you were wrong because you were completely wrong. I say it like that because that's how I feel. But nothing happened. No phone calls, at least to apologize or to explain. From there I told myself that you act as if I wasn't there. So if I'm not there, I'm not the coach of FC Nantes as it was inconceivable for you that I would be present today. Afterwards this is the information and the sources that you had but this is what I saw, felt and this is what I understood. So for me it can't happen like that.” said the tactician.

“If I stay here, I will be unpleasant”

Before adding: “If I stay there, I tell you, I will be unpleasant and I will even be mean (…) So you will act as if I was not there, like the week before the Coupe de France match where you had written everything and anything. And you messed up so it can't happen like that, without consequences, in my opinion. In the past when I was not happy with certain journalists, I fined them and they did not come to press conferences. But today you are here, I let you work, but I simply withdraw. Thank you and happy new year to everyone”.