Nantes fans split between exasperation and fatalism after Vahid Halilhodzic appointment | OneFootball

Vahid Halilhodzic began his second spell as Nantes coach on Wednesday, yet the 17th-placed side's support is torn between hope and weariness. According to L'Équipe, the appointment has drawn a muted response.

Roland Menu, 79, president of Allez Nantes Canaris and a season-ticket holder since 1995, still sees a spark. He calls Halilhodzic an idol and thinks the team could finally stir, adding that a poll of 500 members showed hope.

Others have stepped back. Paul Pasquier, 33, a fan since he was seven and from Vendée, said he stopped going and even watching after the mid-December match in Angers, which he saw as the last straw.

He argued the club are again reacting without a plan. He questioned what Halilhodzic can add beyond recent coaches, said staying up would be a miracle and relegation would seem logical, and would have preferred planning for Ligue 2 with Pierre Aristouy or Stéphane Ziani.

Menu accepts some in his group also fancied Aristouy, yet he expects Halilhodzic's hard edge to jolt players. He wants them to feel the pressure and even wonders about their motivation.

Imrân Louza, who played under Halilhodzic at Nantes and with Morocco, has suggested that fear is a problem around him and that players must be bold.

Menu is hoping for a lift before early April, when Nantes visit Metz and Auxerre. For him, it cannot be worse than before.

Source: L'Équipe