The essential He arrived just before the off-season, at a time when people are rushing behind the scenes to prepare for the next exercise. Aurélien Gestas is destined to take the reins of the first team in the short term and replace Denis Encelade, who is more inclined to take care of the youngsters.
Aged 41, Aurélien knows Port-la-Nouvelle well for having played at the ESN in the youth and then senior categories on the one hand, but on the other hand, the new coach also works on the port as operations manager. And although today he has returned to the FCCM, his return to a football field was not easy. In his playing career, which led him to evolve at a very good regional level, he had to deal with a foot injury “very difficult to treat” and thus stop playing football. Father of two children, his young son quickly found himself infected with the football virus, like his father. So, after a very long break away from the field, he registered his son at FCCM and regularly took him to see the matches of his godfather… François Oliver.
A love of football rediscovered
And as Aurélien recognizes, very quickly “the passion has returned”. And by dint of bathing in the red and white atmosphere, the question of integrating the staff arose. “Denis and François felt that the group and the staff needed renewal to try to continue to progress”. It was agreed that Denis Encelade would be gradually replaced during the season: “We decided to launch ourselves to create a new cycle.” Aurélien tries to bring “his experience as a player and his Staps sports training license to help the players and the club develop”.
Good results
And for the moment things seem to be working, the new coach is finding “that there is an interesting, hard-working and attentive group. We are implementing a new system for everyone but the first results show us that we are on the right track with 16 goals scored for two goals conceded and above all three victories in three official matches.” But for Aurélien, everything is not perfect: “We still need to improve our use of the ball, our match management and our attacking style, but things will become automatic.”
A transition which is therefore happening smoothly, as Denis confirms: “We are preparing the transition between Aurélien and me, I will reduce my involvement by leaving the management of the sessions, but I will continue to be present with the group.”
