In front of 24,209 spectators, Toulouse got rid of the Niortais chamois (2-0), Monday, April 24, in a total festive atmosphere, punctuated by fed songs and an invasion of the field at the final whistle. A success which not only allows them to obtain promotion to the top flight, but which also opens the race for the title, with an eight-point lead over Ajaccio and eleven over Auxerre, second and third respectively. Three days before the end of the championship, the Violets only need one victory to afford the title, a draw against Rodez (Monday May 2) could even be enough (thanks to goal difference). Ajaccio, on the other hand, is condemned to win everything.
This is the second time that the TFC 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 wake of selling the club to the American investment fund Red Bird Capital, which arrived in Toulouse with big ambitions.
Play the “top 6-8” in Ligue 1
“Toulouse is a Ligue 1 club in Ligue 2”, has been repeating ever since the new president, Damien Comolli, trusted man of the American owners. He will have taken two years to keep his promise, after having failed last season to immediately bring up the “Téfécé”, beaten by Nantes in the accession dam (1-2, 1-0).
This return to the top flight is also a personal success for coach Philippe Montanier (57), former goalkeeper of the club between 1994 and 1997, who had already promoted Boulogne-sur-Mer to L1 in 2009. The biggest budget of L2 (around 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 .
What role does he intend to play next on the upper floor? “There’s no reason we can’t be at the top of the Ligue 1 standings. I’m not talking about European places, but about the top 6-8”announced President Comolli when he took office.
The American owners intend to put their hands in their pockets for the L1 and the budget should experience a very clear increase. 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 twenty assists and twelve goals to his credit. Performances that naturally attract covetousness.
A workforce to solidify
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), Japanese and Brazilian strikers Ado Onaiwu (26 years old) and Ratao (26 years old), or Australian midfielder Denis Genreau (22 years old).
