Football Season Guide

In the past season, AC Le Havre came real close to achieving their 6th promotion to the Ligue 1, which would have represented an amazing and incomparable record. Unfortunately for them, though, a penalty shootout against AC Ajaccio cost them dear in the playoffs. Therefore, hurt from the way things ended last year, they aim at celebrating their 10th consecutive season in Ligue 2 with a new promotion to the top tier of the French football. For such reason, Oswald Tanchot, who took the reins of the team when Bob Bradley suddenly left the team overnight in October 2016, was confirmed at the helm of the team. Last year Le Havre proved to be particularly strong in front of their supporters as they lost only once at home and they will have to repeat such an outstanding performance if they want to really fight for promotion. Unfortunately for them, though, they will be unable to rely on Jean-Philippe Mateta. The 20-year-old striker on loan from Olympique Lyonnais was simply amazing last season as he managed to score 19 goals but he had to return to his parent club over the summer. The management could not find a proper replacement for Mateta and so coach Tanchot will have to hope in goals coming from the seasoned Ima Andriatsima and Mana Dembélé, who, together, never hit the back of the net in the past campaign, or the newcoming Senegalese Jamal Thiaré, who had some good years at Avranches in the Championnat National. Clearly not enough. Moreover, there is still uncertainty over Zinedine Ferhat’s destiny. The midfielder, who provided 20 assists and 5 goals in the past season, could be on the departure list too as, at the time of writing, he was excluded from part of the preseason trainings. In terms of signings, the young right-back Léo Principe and the left winger Hervé Bazile should represent two interesting new options for coach Tanchot.