Vahid Halilhodzic returns to Nantes for nine-game survival mission | OneFootball

Vahid Halilhodzic has come out of retirement at 73 to rescue Nantes, returning with bite and a mischievous line that wins and sunshine will follow.

According to L'Équipe, he arrived Wednesday and led a fourth session on Friday, with two more planned after the PSG away game was postponed.

He has not worked since August 2022, when he left Morocco, having earlier departed Nantes after a row with owner Waldemar Kita. He joked about being 150 and out of date, yet says he still cycles, uses the treadmill and bangs out 30 or 40 press-ups, despite a sore knee, more than his players.

After three days of reflection he accepted a final Canaries stint, replacing Ahmed Kantari. He said he is here for nine matches, initially overlooking the possible two play-offs.

On the grass he was loud and exacting, focusing on his forwards and reminding them it is not forbidden to score. He said he once outscored this season’s tally of 22, hitting 27 in 1983 or 28 in 1985.

He teased Matthis Abline about his four goals. The staff has changed too, with Stéphane Mangione out and Patrick Collot, assistant from October 2018 to December 2020, returning.

Players stayed longer at La Jonelière on Thursday, eating together and watching Rijeka 1-2 Strasbourg in the Conference League. Strasbourg visit on 22 March, a decisive match in Halilhodzic’s words.

Source: L'Équipe