Who is new Nantes manager Grégory Poirier?

Grégory Poirier has been named as the successor to Michal Der Zakarian at FC Nantes. We look at the trajectory of the La Rochelle-born manager.

Poirier puts Red Star in promotion contention

In his playing days, Poirier was a midfielder. The Frenchman played for his hometown, La Rochelle, before going on to represent Arles, Nimes, and Amiens. He would retire in 2013 at the age of just 30; he never played in the top flight but played 88 games in the recently renamed Ligue 3 Betclic and a further 14 in Ligue 2 BKT.

It is the second tier of French football that he has begun to make his name as a manager. It was at Red Star where Poirier flourished, ultimately convincing Les Canaris that he was the man to replace Der Zakarian, who only arrived this summer. The former Montpellier HSC manager lasted just three games. He lost all three, with Nantes currently rock bottom of the league.

Poirier is the man charged with turning things around. As he showed at Red Star, he is capable of lodging a promotion bid. He did so in the Parisian Banlieues, taking Red Star on an unexpected promotion push last season. Their quest to reach Ligue 1 McDonald's ended in the relegation/ promotion playoffs. After exceeding expectations at the Stade Bauer, he took his leave.

Grégory Poirier est déjà de retour en Ligue 2 BKT ! 🔙

L’ancien entraîneur du Red Star prend la succession de Michel Der Zakarian sur le banc du @FCNantes ! 🔰 pic.twitter.com/SBiTKKUlLp
— Ligue 2 BKT (@Ligue2BKT) August 25, 2026

Prior to his time at Red Star, Poirier had managed in the lower echelons of French football, at the likes of Arles-Avignon, Marseille Endoume, Saint-Malo, Sedan, and Martigues. At the latter, he was greatly appreciated by the club's president, Alain Neressian.

"He is someone who is very intelligent, very intuitive, and who brings a fresh perspective on football and how to manage it. He created a real team from players that weren't necessarily the highest valued in the league by achieving what few coaches can achieve in so few years," began Neressian.

'Poirier reconciled football with pleasure' - Neressian

He continued, "He has a very seductive play-style. I had an exceptional year [with him]. We didn't earn promotion (from the third tier), but it is ingrained in my memory because we reconciled football with pleasure."

He will look to do the same at the Beaujoire, although there will also be a strong emphasis on taking the Loire-based club back to the top-flight. That is the objective that has been set by the club's hierarchy, following last season's relegation from Ligue 1 McDonald's. What Poirier will have to contend with that he has not previously faced elsewhere is the pressure to win week in, week out.

"He is arriving into a situation that isn't simple, but he is able and has the mental skills to turn transform things," added Neressian. With Les Canaris, Poirier will look to do what he failed to do as a player, reach the highest echelon of the French game.

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