Samuel Honrubia (Pays d’Aix Universite Club) // Photo credit: Panoramic / K. Domas
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The new president ofIstres, Christian Taormina, did not pretend when he announced his ambitions for the future a few weeks ago: “The top 8 within three years”. If that could make some smile, the Provencal club aims to go upmarket in the coming years. Development of private partnerships and the budget off the field, but also an increase in the wage bill on the field will be the key elements of the structuring cycle that the club, whose first team is currently in tenth place in the Starligue, will begin. “But when we looked at the potential recruits for next season, we mainly looked at the human and handball qualities, not the names” tempers the istrean coach Gilles Derot. “Of course, we want to scratch a few places, but above all, we need people who are good on the pitch.”
Samuel Honrubia, head of the recruitment gondola
If the arrival of Danish left-hander Jakob Mikkelsen has already confirmed for the next two seasons, Istres announces today the arrival of two new players. Including an, Samuel Honrubia, will shed new light on the istrean club in the media. At 34, the one who wore the colors of Montpellier, Paris, Tremblay and, since January 2020, Aix en Provence, has a track record as long as the arm: Olympic gold in 2012 with the France team, but also the titles of world champion 2011 and 2015, as well as ten titles of champion of France. After six months of hiatus, following his episode of Tremblays, the Biterrois returned to the front of the stage with the PAUC in January 2020, releasing some beautiful perf ‘for a year. In Istres, he will take over from Hichem Daoud, leaving for Limoges. “Samuel is a player who will bring a form of professionalism, in his food, his career management, but also in his performances on the field. This is important in a training club like ours. Humanly, he will bring us a lot of experience ” describes Derot.
First adventure abroad for Messaoud Berkous
Photo credit: IHF
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Another arrival announced this morning, that of the Algerian left-back Messaoud Berkous. At 31, the one who was present with his national selection in Egypt for the world championship will experience his first adventure outside Africa. “And this ability to adapt is a real question mark for us. He previously made life choices. But he’s a great player who was very much courted by big clubs three or four ago. years ”continues Gilles Derot, who will nevertheless have been reassured by Hichem Daoud, who rubs shoulders with him in the selection. He will arrive in Provence to take the place of the Dane Torben Petersen, whom the club would have liked to keep but who preferred to return to his country next summer, while Vasko Sevaljevic left the club this winter. “Messaoud will bring us his great individual quality, in the game but also in the finish from afar” loue Derot.
If, with his three recruits, Istres has almost completed his recruitment, there are still some details to work out. Especially on the half-center position, where another reinforcement is expected, but also on that of pivot. The Italian Andrea Parisini has extended for the next three seasons, but the engagement of Louis Roche, his partner, is at the end of his contract next June. Will it be kept? Or Jotham Mandiagu, from the Provençal training, will he be used more in attack than he has been for two years? The answer should soon be revealed …
Kevin Domas
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