Bastia vs Montpellier preview - Printant pleased with unity

Ghislain Printant is hoping his experience can steer managerless Bastia to victory over Montpellier on Saturday.

The Ligue 1 strugglers sacked Claude Makelele, after less than six months in charge, on Monday.

Bastia won just three of Makelele's 13 games in charge and are currently joint bottom of the table, above Evian only on goal difference.

Printant and Herve Sekli have taken responsibility for the Corsican team while the search for a permanent appointment takes place - and Printant is hoping for an improvement in fortunes.

He told the club's official website: "The boys have responded. It was not obvious at the outset. The group was disappointed on Monday - but then completely united.

"There has been much discussion. It is a job and although we have not revolutionised everything in four days, we have some ideas to implement."

Printant told the club's official website that he does not see himself as the next Bastia boss - but is hoping to be a safe pair of hands until the new man is in place.

He continued: "I am director of the training centre. I do not aim for Ligue 1 - but I still have 25 years of professionalism behind me.

"I could not refuse the position but my only objective is to match Montpellier - I have hammered into the players since Monday that our only goal is to win. We must move forward."

Printant has named a 19-man squad, which does not include injured defender Gilles Cioni (ankle), midfielders Christopher Maboulou (thigh) and El-Hadji Ba (leg) and long-term suspended striker Brandao.

Ninth-placed Montpellier, victorious in just one of their six away matches, are aiming for successive wins.

Boss Rolland Courbis has no new injury concerns ahead of this weekend's game and does not plan any changes following the 2-0 defeat of Evian.

That means wingers Karim Ait-Fana and Djamel Bakar will not return to action until after the international break.