Five wins in a row. This is a rare performance in the history of the Union. And it’s a team coached by a young man of 24 who has just achieved it. Admittedly, it was a question of saving the skin of the club in National 1. Mission accomplished. This also implies a very strong pressure on the shoulders of this group, thus demonstrating a strength of character that has not been denied.
During the press conference after the Union’s victory over Hyères Toulon, Valentin Yedra had a very significant sentence about the state of mind of his players: “We can talk to them a little loudly but without ever breaking the group.”
“We didn’t give up”
Speak loudly, yes, because sometimes you have to reframe things during a match. Like Friday night. Union led by 13 points after 4 minutes of play, and saw themselves ahead of 12 points a quarter of an hour later, at halftime. We assume that the coach and the captain (Rémi Lesca) raised their voices in the locker room, given what happened next.
Yedra could see with satisfaction: “What I remember is that we did not give up, once again. It is the strength of our team on these play-downs.”
And the second half of the match confirmed the solidity of this group, which became effective again even if it is not flamboyant, to overtake Varois who had lost their concentration.
“Not Here to Lose”
So, the Union Tarbes-Lourdes will still evolve in National 1 next season. But before getting there, this one remains to be completed, with two matches still to be played: at Pont-de-Chéruy on April 28, and against Cergy Pontoise, at the Quai de l’Adour on May 5. We said “loop” and not rush. Moreover Valentin Yedra warned: “We are not here to distort the championship. And we will be keen to give everything, for our supporters, in the last two games. We are not here to lose.”
In the meantime, the champagne flowed freely in the unionist locker room to celebrate the victory and the evening had to go on. Yedra let go: “We must celebrate these moments”.
Of course.
