National / 12th day. Nîmes, where everything is not rosy, receives the red lantern Epinal, Friday November 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Antonins stadium.
Since July 3 (and even before for them), Frédéric Bompard and his staff have been working a lot. “We have exceeded a hundred training sessions since the resumption,” he told us last week. Sometimes the croc trainer complains, too. He has reasons.
In post for almost a year in Nîmes, he sometimes wonders where he has set foot, having been Rudi Garcia’s assistant at Lille, AS Roma and OM. He will not forget last season’s relegation, which he “will never digest”, he confided recently. He will also not forget the various and varied pitfalls which NO’s journey has been strewn with in recent months. And recent years, for that matter.
Cold shower(s)
The latest one? The absence of hot water and heating at the Bastide, the installation being defective and the repair taking far too long for the efficiency of a professional football club. Here, we have experienced training boycotts for less than that, like in March 2019, for a bonus problem…
Since the start of the season, the Crocodiles have had to deal with cold showers, mediocre pitches and, overall, dilapidated facilities. And without a doctor this summer, without a hotel room during the day for traveling staff members, without a kop (the hard core of the Gladiators and Nemausus is ICS, banned from the Antonins stadium) or without a communications officer since his departure at the end September (Jordan Isen has just been replaced by a work-study student).
Despite everything, the players make a brave face against bad luck
Despite this period of hesitation, inertia and carelessness maintained by a publicly absent and mute Rani Assaf, despite a future more vague than ever, despite everything, the players are doing their best against bad luck.
If, outside, everything is not rosy when it comes time to receive the red lantern; on the pitch, they remain unbeaten for nine matches and two months (5 wins and 4 draws), including seven in the league. The most promising thing is that this group intelligently put together by sports director Sébastien Larcier has a good margin of progress.
The 6th round of the Coupe de France at Vauvert (4-1, last Sunday) was useful in several ways: goalkeeper Ondoa was able to make his debut, Picouleau was able to assert himself a little more as a leader, Mbina was able to score new and the replacements finally be decisive. Facing Épinal, the capital of wood, we will see what the people of Nîmes heat themselves with. If they want to play a role other than maintaining themselves as quickly as possible, they must win against the promoted Spinalien, still looking for a first success after 11 days of National.
Frédéric Bompard, coach: “All these factors which attack the competitiveness of my team, that bothers me”
“I told the group that this would perhaps be the most complicated match of the season,” warns Bompard. “I put myself in the place of the opponents: at the start of each match, they must say to themselves that it will finally be the good. For the rest, I don’t want to complain, but I am the coach of a professional club, and all these factors which attack the competitiveness of my team, that bothers me. I’m not asking for much, but I just want my players to shower with hot water.” And Vosges is a hassle!
The Nîmes group without Burner or Mexico
During the last success at the Antonins, Mexico was the decisive passer for Burner, the only director against Niort (1-0). The two Martinicans, injured, are out. But the third, Labonne, is back.
Scorer at Vauvert in the Cup, he should start as a right piston against Epinal. Ondoa also continues before returning to the selection in November. It will be his first in the championship in a formation which could start in 5-3-2, with Thoumin to support Mbina up front. On the bench, Giresse will make his return after his 8 match suspension.
The group : Ondoa (g.), Mendy, Diouf, Sy, Sbaï, Guessoum, Diallo, Labonne, Delpech, Doukansy, Sacko, Picouleau, Wade, Laurens, Mbina, Thoumin.
Main absentees: Dias (l., knee), Mbemba (ankle), Burner (knee), Mexico (calf), Doucouré (recovery), Nazih, Paradowski (l.), Paviot, Ngakoutou (choice).
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