Winner of Niort at the end of the 35th day of Ligue 2, the TFC brilliantly validated its return to Ligue 1.
Party night. After two years away from Ligue 1, Toulouse confirmed its return ticket for the elite on Monday after its 2-0 success (goals from Dejaeghere 21e and Qnaiwu 78th) against Niort at the end of the 35e Ligue 2 day. A comeback celebrated by a massive invasion of the pitch by the Stadium public.
The TFC (in front of more than 24,000 spectators), with this 22e victory, is guaranteed to finish in one of the first two places, synonymous with direct access to the L1. Philipe Montanier’s players are 8 points ahead of Ajaccio and 11 points ahead of Auxerre and aim to settle permanently in L1 thanks to the help of its new owner, the American fund Red Bird.
This is the second time that Toulouse has managed to climb back into the elite without wasting (too much) time: after its administrative demotion to National in 2001, the Toulouse club, then bought by Olivier Sadran, had chained two successive climbs.
The Sadran era had experienced a sad epilogue with relegation in the spring of 2020, at the end of a nightmarish exercise (only three wins in 28 matches) interrupted before its end by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The former owner had decided in the process to sell the club to the American investment fund Red Bird Capital, which arrived in the Pink City with big ambitions.
“Toulouse is a Ligue 1 club in Ligue 2”, keeps repeating since the new president Damien Comolli, man of confidence of the American owners.
It will have taken two years to keep his promise after failing last season to immediately bring up the “Téfécé”, beaten by Nantes in the accession dam (1-2, 1-0).
Second climb for Montanier
This return to the top flight is also a personal success for coach Philippe Montanier (57), former club goalkeeper between 1994 and 1997, who had already raised Boulogne-sur-Mer to L1 in 2009.
L2’s biggest budget (approximately 20 million euros) relied this season on a fiery attack, the best in the history of the championship since the introduction of the single group in 1993-1994, with already 80 goals in 35 matches.
The TFC now aims to seek its third 2nd division champion title (after 1982 and 2003), which could be done quickly since it is eight points ahead of its runner-up, Ajaccio.
What role does he intend to play next upstairs? “There is no reason that we should not be at the top of the Ligue 1 classification. I am not talking about European places, but about the top 6-8”, announced President Comolli when he took over. function.
The American owners intend to put their hands in their pockets for the L1 and the budget should experience a very clear increase.
Garder Van den Boomen et Healey
The priority will be to retain key players, including Dutch midfielder Branco van den Boomen, figurehead of these attractive Violets.
Trained at Ajax and bought 350,000 euros from De Graafschap, in Dutch D2, two years ago, he already has 20 assists and 12 goals to his credit. Performances that naturally attract covetousness.
Current top scorer in L2 with 20 goals, the Englishman Rhys Healey could also be in high demand, while the young shoots trained at the club (defenders Bafodé Diakité and Anthony Rouault, midfielder Nathan Ngoumou) should be locked by the leaders. .
Determined to assume its new objectives, Toulouse, with a real popular enthusiasm for two years, should then be quite active on the transfer market, with several positions to strengthen (left back, midfielder, central defender).
By continuing to rely on data, one of the great successes of the new management, with the signing of many players unknown on their arrival and very successful since, such as Danish defenders Rasmus Nicolaisen (25) and Mikkel Desler ( 27 years old), the Japanese and Brazilian attackers Ado Onaiwu (26 years old) and Ratao (26 years old) or the Australian midfielder Denis Genreau (22 years old).