Ex-Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou has revealed he was forced to move his Toulouse squad away from city-centre unrest ahead of their clash with Troyes.
It was a hectic weekend for Les Violets, whose fixture was pushed back from Saturday evening to Sunday as riots continued across parts of France. Concerned about the safety of his players, particularly those living in the city centre, Askou and his staff took precautionary measures and adjusted the team’s preparations.
Askou said: “I still don’t fully understand some of the situations in France, especially the political ones.
“But I hope everyone here managed to have a peaceful and safe weekend.
“We discussed the situation and decided to take some steps to protect our players who live in the city centre.
“The weekend was a bit hectic and perhaps emotionally challenging for them. The team manager and his staff have taken measures to adapt their training.”
Since swapping Fir Park for the south of France, Askou has made an encouraging start to life at Toulouse. His side sit 11th after eight matches and head into the weekend unbeaten in their last five.
They will look to continue that run on Sunday when they travel to face Marseille, one of Celtic’s Europa League opponents this season.
