Nantes dismiss Der Zakarian and consider Poirier

Nantes have ended Michel Der Zakarian’s third spell in charge after a disastrous opening to their Ligue 2 campaign. Waldemar Kita and his son Franck have decided to remove the coach, with former Red Star manager Grégory Poirier being considered as his replacement.

The change follows Nantes’ 5-2 defeat by Rodez, a collapse that came after the Canaris led 2-1 at half-time. It was their third consecutive league loss, having already been beaten in their opening two matches. Relegated from Ligue 1 in the spring, Nantes are now at the bottom of the table.

Der Zakarian had described the defeat as deeply disappointing and accused his team of losing its collective focus after the break. He said the side stopped fighting together and identified the problem as mental, while also suggesting that some players wanted to leave and others were prepared to keep working. His comments underlined the tension surrounding a team that has failed to earn a point at the start of its return to the second tier.

Poirier built his reputation at Red Star last season, guiding the Paris club into the promotion play-offs after a top-five finish. Nantes are now weighing whether the young coach can provide a new direction following Der Zakarian’s dismissal.