Bob Bradley has said he will continue as Le Havre head coach despite the "incredible disappointment" of missing out on promotion to Ligue 1.
Bradley's Le Havre won 5-0 against Bourg-Peronnas on Friday but the result was not enough to secure third place in Ligue 2, as Metz progressed to France's top tier at their expense.
Le Havre and Metz both finished on a plus-15 goal difference but the latter boasted 54 to the latter's 52 goals scored this season.
One more goal in their victory over Bourg-Peronnas would have secured the better goal difference that would have sealed promotion for Bradley's team.
Former United States coach Bradley took over at Le Havre in November 2015.
Asked if he will still be coach next season, Bradley replied: "Sure, it's a project so ... just like the players I give everything to try to see what we can accomplish. It hurts tonight but we have more work to do."
#HACisBACK Merci aux supporters pour y avoir cru avec nous jusqu'au bout.On sera là et plus fort la saison prochaine pic.twitter.com/d4Qrw1b5Vd
- HAC Football (@HAC_Foot) May 13, 2016
Reflecting on a painful night, he said: "Football can be really cruel sometimes. I think we all feel it tonight, especially because the effort from the players, they gave everything.
"You could feel the support of all the supporters, really you could feel the whole city. And to be so close and not quite get one more goal, this is a tough moment but also an incredibly moment that hopefully will take us further down the road.
"When you have tough moments and you suffer then you learn to be stronger. We will take the right lessons, we'll keep working on our football and keep working on becoming a better team
"Tonight hurts a lot but we can use it in a way that makes us even stronger. We have to be [stronger after such a tough night].
"Whether we are in Ligue 1 or Ligue 2 we still have to think about how to make our team better ... how to improve our football.
"That part doesn't change we just have to do it after feeling incredible disappointment tonight.
"Sure [some players cried], when you give everything you let your emotion out, so everyone is different. The feeling of putting your heart and soul into this match, this team and coming that close at the end it doesn't go away fast.
"This is part of sports and this also what makes champions those who can take from these tough, tough moments and come back stronger.
"[The fans were] incredible. As we continue to build our football team hopefully the connection with the supporters, the connection with the city ... to be a top team you have to be together the people."