What inspires you from your run of 10 wins in 10 Division 2 games?
Things are done little by little but when you manage to chain results, to install a series, you always want to extend it. They are pleasant and rare moments for a group even if the succession of games and competitions keeps us on our toes. We can only really measure the importance of this series at the end of the championship.
Did you imagine this summer that your band would be so successful?
It is difficult to imagine such a path but, as I have already said, this start of the season will only be appreciated at its fair value if it is not validated at the end of the season. When we agreed to work together with Jean-Marc Barsotti (President of the Association), there was a part of the unknown. Even if we had targeted players of a certain level, no, we couldn’t have imagined a start to the season like this. The interesting thing is that the group lives well and is constantly looking for improvements. It is the result of a work shared with all the staff who are cohesively at the service of the community.
On n’a rien fait pour le moment. L’historique du championnat montre que les faux pas peuvent coûter cher. Il faut rester humble.
Does your dominance in this first part of the season bode well for the outcome of the championship?
We haven’t done anything yet and the season is still long. There are still 12 games to go and the league’s history shows that missteps can cost you dearly. We have to stay humble and keep working because our collapse against Montauban or our elimination against Strasbourg in the Coupe de France show that there are still things to correct. We have to go even higher.
Despite your impeccable performance, your pursuer Olympique de Marseille kept up the pace thanks to their impressive run.
I would rather have a more comfortable mattress but everyone who loves football loves these challenges too. Olympique de Marseille is fine. It’s a team that simply lost points where we were full. The fact that it follows us so closely keeps us alert, prompts us to remain alert. We will have to be good in direct confrontation even though we know that winning the game against OM on 22 January will be useless if we lose the following games.
Je suis venu à l’AS Saint-Étienne avec l’ambition de retrouver l’élite le plus rapidement possible.
Could the elimination in the Coupe de France last Saturday or the truce disturb the excellent dynamism of the group?
We cut 12 days. It’s the first time I’ve had so much rest but the players need it. They have been there since July 18 and the competition generates pressure and stress. It is important that they can rest, recharge their batteries and reunite with their families to return to January full of freshness.
Could your squad change during the transfer window?
After 4 months, we are able to better evaluate the team we have built. We are therefore studying some possible adjustments to strengthen the team while preserving its balance. If one or more arrivals are possible, they should represent real added value for the group.
From a personal point of view, how do you judge your first six months at the helm of the D2 group?
My personal case is secondary. The most important thing is to achieve our common goal because I arrived at AS Saint-Étienne with the ambition of returning to the top flight as quickly as possible.
