A point on the workforce?
“Compared to the Montpellier group, we lose Fabien Centonze (injured at La Mosson). We recover Ndiaga (Yade), who was not operational last weekend, and possibly Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik depending on training this Saturday. Louis Mafouta took a crutch, but he should be operational. »
How is Fabien Centonze doing morally?
“A player who has been injured for a long time, who comes back and gets injured again, inevitably, he blames the blow. This (friday) morning he was already a little better. He was smiling. But it’s hard. »
What do you expect from the last three meetings in the league against Lyon and Angers then in Paris?
“I am preparing these last three matches to win at least one. It almost happened in Montpellier. Unfortunately, our mental fragility did not allow us to do so. Since the start of the season, we have lost nine points in the last five minutes (including seven in added time). And, conversely, we did not win one! The last game reflects this fragility. »
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You will play two games in a row at Saint-Symphorien, a stadium whose “hostile climate” you recently denounced. A remark that upset the Metz supporters. How do you answer them?
“They shouldn’t be offended. I think the public behaved very well throughout the year despite a difficult season. He also showed his displeasure, he has the right to do so. And I think that makes sense. I therefore hope that by their behavior, their attitudes, the players will be able to give a little pleasure to the public. We are last, I can’t say anything else… Because so far, we haven’t given many things to this audience… I repeat, it’s normal that they are unhappy because the results are not not there, despite some good matches. So we have to try to make people feel better about themselves. May they be happy when they leave the stadium. It’s part of our job. A football club, in a city, must give pleasure and it must be recognized that we have not given any this season. »
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“I can be blamed for not having been able to give enough niaque to this team”
Can facing Lyon be an additional source of motivation?
“Our best matches at home, we made them against big players: Lille (3-3)who had just been champion of France, against Paris (1-2) and recently against Marseille (1-2) and Monaco (1-2). But, at the exit, we lose in the last minutes when we can win these matches! We didn’t know how to seize our chance. But the contents were correct, not transcendent, but correct. So, I hope we can do this kind of performance against Lyon. »
Faced with the big cars of the championship, do you think that your team was able to break free more easily?
“We are mentally fragile and against teams within our reach, we put too much pressure on ourselves. We clearly lack experience. I can be blamed for not having been able to give enough niaque to this team to overthrow a match. But maybe the young players also need time. Maybe, again, we let go a little more against big teams because we tell ourselves that we have nothing to lose. That may be, I mean maybe, part of the answer. I don’t want to look for excuses. All I know is that despite all the hazards, I think we should have held on! Our luck, we had it! Even over the past few months, we haven’t taken our chance. And we are punished. It’s like that… It’s a big regret because it’s a really good team, compared to our means. It is for this reason that I am disappointed… As much as the supporters. I understand their disappointment because I feel the same. When you feel you can do it, the disappointment is multiplied by ten. »
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In this context, what is the state of mind of the group?
“The president asked me how it was going. I replied that given the difficult season we are going through, things are going pretty well. For example, I was happy to see Dylan Bronn and Fali Candé (back from injury) return to training this Friday morning. In our situation, they could have gone into hiding. No, I saw guys who wanted to take over. That’s the whole paradox of this season: it’s going pretty well, in training it’s even going very well; but in competition we had shortcomings. »
So you met Bernard Serin. Have you talked about your future?
“We discussed, we made a first draft. I repeat, I still have two years of contract. For the rest, you have to ask the president…”
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