Alain Casanova has left Toulouse for a second time after handing in his resignation at the club yesterday afternoon. Casanova leaves after a poor start to the season and brings an end to his second spell in charge which started in June 2018.
Alain Casanova Departs Toulouse Again
Death Threats Proving Too Much for Alain Casanova
Alain Casanova has confirmed that death threats sent to him and his family were part of the reason he chose to cut short his second spell in charge. Casanova and Toulouse have worked with French Police and one man has been arrested for the threats and held in custody. It hasn’t been a great start for Toulouse, who languish in the relegation zone after collecting nine points from their first nine games.
Toulouse are winless since the end of August and are currently on a five-match winless run. Casanova’s second spell has been largely disappointing after scraping survival last season. It’s been a difficult period for the club and their slide down the table needs halting fast. Three defeats in four games, including a derby loss to Bordeaux, has caused unrest in the Toulouse faithful. The mounting pressure became too much for the likeable Casanova whose first spell lasted seven years between 2008 and 2015.
Where Next for Toulouse?
The club has confirmed Denis Zanko will take charge of the first team on a caretaker basis with the club hoping to appoint a new manager before they face Lille on the 19th October. Whoever takes over the role at Les Violets has a huge job on their hands.
The fans demand exciting, attacking football, which Casanova struggled to implement on the team. The fans want victories, success and a team to be proud of, but witnessed just 11 wins in 51 games during Casanova’s second stint. Zanko will be aiming to prove he is the right man for the job and may get a chance if an appointment isn’t made before their next game.
Toulouse are also desperately poor on their travels which was another factor in Casanova’s disappointing second spell. Three draws notched from their four away games is flat while their home isn’t much better losing their last two games conceding five goals. Wins and confidence are proving hard to find at Les Violets, but they have players who can win them matches. Efthimis Koulouris has proved he can be a matchwinner for Toulouse, notching four goals in nine Ligue 1 games. He has adapted well to French football in his debut season at the club and whoever comes in knows they have a man who can fire them to wins and more importantly safety.
Big Month Ahead
Toulouse face a difficult run of fixtures in the next few weeks, starting at home to Lille followed by matches against Rennes, Lyon, Montpellier and Marseille. A big month of fixtures for Les Violets and although from the outset it seems difficult, any win in those games could ignite their flat season.
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