Like our dear railway company, ASSE can boast of always having a few late trains. For several seasons now, the Saint-Etienne management has amazed the supporters by making late decisions. Lack of solutions, lack of ideas or simply lack of anticipation? Everyone will have their own idea.
From this lack of responsiveness to the various problems stems a greater risk than ever of seeing the Forez club sink and gradually fall into oblivion or even anonymity. The Saint-Etienne staff will even have succeeded in dividing the ultimate guarantor of green values: the supporters.
A late winter transfer window
Although some doubts remain about some recruits, the club has tried to strengthen this winter with the arrivals of Charbonnier, Appiah, Larsonneur, Bamba, Nkounkou, Fomba and Pavlovic. This need for reinforcements is explained by an overly chilly summer transfer window, during which the club recently preferred to save money and capitalize on the name “ASSE”. Result of the races, the Greens have a substantial workforce, made up of players who do not have the level or the shoulders for the green tunic (Giraudon, Chambost, Pintor, Dreyer, Wadji, etc.)
By achieving this winter transfer window, which may not be enough to maintain in view of the many points behind, the leaders have proven that they have the means to recruit. It is appropriate to wonder about the various reasons which pushed the management to once again show a lack of ambition during the summer, all the more in a context of descent into Ligue 2.
Panic buy
Moreover, the case of Ibrahim Sadiq shows that even during the winter transfer window, the club was taken by time. Following a problem with intermediaries (surprisingly affecting the club frequently: Mostafa Mohamed, Mbaye Niang, Wajdi Kechrida and now Ibrahim Sadiq), the Ghanaian winger did not sign up for the club. Following this failure in this case, which should have been concluded during the last moments of the transfer window, the Stéphanois could not free up enough time to find a Plan B…
It is still relatively common for ASSE to close its transfer window on the gong. Crivelli, Modeste, Ramirez… Surprising way to anticipate!
Management of complicated end of contracts
Another problem within this club… the management of player contracts. First, the club does not seem able to anticipate. He will also probably lose one of these key players, Jean-Philippe Krasso, from the next transfer window. While several offers have been refused, particularly from Ukraine, the leaders of Saint-Etienne have still not managed to find an extension agreement, six months from the end of his contract. As a result, the Ivorian striker is now able to join a new club freely, without consulting the management of Saint-Etienne, who would then not receive a penny. Frustrating after finding it in N2 and maturing. The question should have arisen when he left on loan at Ajaccio last season.
Secondly, some contracts of players trained at the club are causing serious concern. This is particularly the case of Aïmen Moueffek. While he has still not extended his contract (expiring in 2024), he will only have one year left in the Saint-Etienne colors at the end of the season. Taking into account his current performances, it is likely that clubs will go on the attack to attract him, at more affordable amounts than if he had a long contract. The example of Bakayoko, on loan until the end of the season at Le Puy, is significantly reminiscent of the case of Moueffek. When he returns from loan, he will only have one season left on his contract. It could have been consistent to extend it before lending it, in order to protect it in the event that it performed in Haute-Loire (Krasso case law).
Another example of bad management, it is common to see the club offer extensions to seriously injured players, such as Gabriel Silva or Yvann Maçon. The first chained injuries and the club was forced to release him this winter in order to clear the payroll. As for the second, for whom the club would have refused an offer of approximately two million euros from Brest this summer (according to Romain Molina), he is now playing on loan at Paris FC and the player, like the club, no longer wishes to hear talk about the other.
A laborious handover
For the change of coach also, the club often waits until it is too late. While Management had already issued an ultimatum to Laurent Batlles, the tactician found himself in turmoil again following catastrophic results leaving ASSE in 19th place, eight points behind 15th. While he currently seems overwhelmed by events, the club still does not seem inclined to land him.
Already last year, the club took its time before releasing Claude Puel from his contract. Despite a slight rise in the standings, the club still fell. In addition, some strong choices take time to be made in Forez, such as the case of Kolodziejczak last year which chained errors and tenures.
A constantly delayed sale
Regarding the sale of the club, the question is the same… Why always postpone? It took a descent into Ligue 2 and excesses after the play-offs in Auxerre for the presidents to finally communicate on a sale which should have taken place quickly. On the other hand, despite the ever deeper crisis, the shareholders have been able to make themselves somewhat forgotten and today there is absolutely no question of a potential sale of the club… Perhaps they still hope to go up this season in the League 1?
This constant delay in all the important decisions of the club has put ASSE in serious danger. Apart from a nightmarish return phase (0 points out of 6 possible), ASSE risks tasting the bad flavors of relegation again…
Only one thing is certain, some decisions raise questions…
