Antoine Kombouaré, head coach of RC Lens, made headlines with his frank and stinging assessment following his team’s 2-1 defeat to Evian Thonon-Gaillard. Speaking to Canal+, the Burkinabe-born manager didn’t sugarcoat his disappointment:
“A Ligue 2 team? In the first half, I saw a DH team on the pitch.”
The “DH” reference (Division d’Honneur) equates to France’s amateur fifth-tier level—a sharp critique meant to jolt his players into better performances.
🔹 Kombouaré’s Ambitions and Frustrations:
Kombouaré is not at Lens “for fun” — he’s clearly intent on rebuilding and stabilizing the club in Ligue 1, but insists that serious support and funding are needed to make that happen.
He’s still waiting for promised financial backing from Hafiz Mammadov, the Azerbaijani investor who owns the club. Without those funds, reinforcing the squad will be difficult, leaving Kombouaré with a steep uphill battle.
🔹 Context:
RC Lens had been promoted to Ligue 1 but struggled with off-field issues, particularly financial difficulties and ownership instability.
Kombouaré’s blunt critique might be a strategic move to demand more urgency—both from his players and from the club’s boardroom.
If Mammadov follows through with the promised investment, Kombouaré might yet have the tools he needs to push Lens away from relegation danger. But until then, expect more direct talk from a coach who refuses to tolerate mediocrity.
