Blooming Toulouse in the pink

Toulouse FC continued their bright start to the French season on Tuesday night with an impressive League Cup victory at FC Nantes Atlantique, the latest sign of their resurgence.

Rugby dominance
Football has rarely been the primary concern of Toulouse, the sixth biggest city in France with a population of almost 800,000, with the team having won only one trophy, the 1957 French Cup, in their long history. In contrast, rugby remains the overriding passion of the region, with local side Stade Toulousain the country's most successful club having claimed 16 league titles.

New outfit
While the rugby boys have long sported their famous black-and-red strip, a change of colours has prompted an upturn in fortunes for their footballing neighbours with Toulouse opting to switch from traditional violet to a pink ensemble for 2006/07. Although the new kit made an inauspicious debut with a 2-0 defeat at FC Girondins de Bordeaux on the opening day of the Ligue 1 calendar, the team have negotiated their next six games unbeaten with Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro and Alexandre Bonnet sealing Tuesday's 2-0 success.

'Team spirit'
New coach Elie Baup rotated his squad for the League Cup round of 32 encounter and, having watched his second string secure victory in Nantes, was jubilant. "We showed our team spirit once again," he said. "We must not be afraid to dominate the game when we are on top." The summer appointment of Baup, who was born in the area, has been a key factor in the Toulouse revival; after leaving AS Saint-Etienne, he replaced Erick Mombaerts after a disappointing 16th-placed finish last season.

Toulouse philosophy
Toulouse are now fourth in Ligue 1 with eleven points from six matches, and trail champions Olympique Lyonnais and Olympique de Marseille by five points. They have kept faith with Nicolas Douchez, one of France's best young goalkeepers, despite Fabien Barthez expressing a wish to rejoin the club where he began his career, and confidence is growing at Le Stadium. "We have no specific aim this season except to secure our place in Ligue 1," said Baup. "We're trying to build up a spirit." With a late equaliser at AS Nancy-Lorraine on 10 September and an unexpected 3-1 win at LOSC Lille Métropole last Saturday, the indications are promising.

Brazilian impact
Summer signing Fabinho is suitably impressed. Nominally deployed in a defensive role, the Brazilian midfielder has scored three goals including a late leveller in last month's 1-1 draw at Lyon, who were reportedly interested in signing him six months ago. "I did not expect such a strong team here," he said. "I know Toulouse can do big things this year - and not only in the League Cup."