Football Season Guide

Sochaux are trying something different as they prepare for a fourth consecutive campaign in the second tier. A disappointing season last time around saw them finish 13th, a second straight bottom-half spot. As a result, coach Albert Cartier was not kept on and the German, Peter Zeidler, has been appointed as his successor on a two-year deal. Zeidler, 54, is back in France having taken Tours to a respectable 6th place in this league in 2012. He went on to have a stint with Red Bull Salzburg in Austria and was in charge at Sion in Switzerland last season. Sochaux, the formerly Peugeot-owned club, are desperate to return to the elite but that will be difficult, even if the new play-off system perhaps improves their hopes. The club are now in the hands of Chinese owners, about whose financial viability there is much uncertainty. They have lost a couple of talented youngsters in central defender Ibrahima Konate, who has gone to RB Leipzig, and Marcus Thuram, who has joined Guingamp. However, Zakarya Bergdich and El Hadji Ba return to France with enough pedigree to suggest they can do well in Ligue 2. Axel Bakayoko and Yakou Meite are young and unproven as they arrive on loan. Lawrence Ati Zigi is a young goalkeeper who will be a back-up for Maxence Prevot, set to be the first choice. "I love France, French football and the culture, so I am very lucky to be coming back here to work," said Zeidler. "I have evolved over the last six years since I was at Tours. I worked at Salzburg for three and a half years and had a lot of success at Sion. I have learnt a lot and that is going to help me for coming back to Ligue 2." Of his new side's prospects, he added: "Everything has been prepared for promotion but I think there are 12 or 15 clubs with the same target. Sochaux is an institution. If we play well we can bring people to the stadium. Maybe not in August, because everyone at Peugeot is on holiday, but let's say from September onwards!"