Rennes – Montpellier, is it your classico?
It’s sure, whether in Rennes or Montpellier, I spent there anyway nine years of my career. These are clubs that have been important to me and that have marked me. It’s always a pleasure to watch these two teams play. And when they clash, it’s sure that I watch them more than others.
For once, this weekend, the match seems unbalanced on paper. The dynamics are opposite. Do you believe or fear that Rennes will make short work of Montpellier in this match?
I don’t think Rennes will make short work of Montpellier, because there they still played in the European Cup. Fatigue begins to accumulate, so this is a context that must also be taken into account. Afterwards, it is sure that on paper, Rennes is superior to Montpellier. I don’t think anyone can hide behind that. But hey, on a match, you know, with fatigue, travel, it can be rebalanced.
You always follow the results of the Paillade. Especially with Romain Pitau at the helm?
From far or near, I have always followed Montpellier. But Since Romain took over the team, I’ve been watching what’s going on more carefully. Because already he is a very good friend. We have always maintained very good relations, there is a strong bond. So yes, when a friend takes over a team, of course we look twice at the results, and especially the club news, of course.
Is there a form of pride in seeing that a 2012 French champion, like you, is leading a Ligue 1 team for the first time, especially Montpellier?
It is very good. Romain also took advantage of the good time to graduate with Montpellier Hérault. Others took different paths. He was lucky enough to be able to graduate in Montpellier, in a club with which he gets along very well. And he’s done a really good job so far. Afterwards, I think he is not there by chance. If he’s there, that means there’s been a lot of work behind it, because I’m in the process of getting my diplomas, and I know it’s very hard. I think that if the club called on him at this somewhat complicated moment, it’s because Lolo (Laurent Nicollin) knows what he’s doing. He knows in whose hands he is putting the club. Romain has all the power over the first team, and I think he’s going to put it to good use. I hope in any case, for him, that it will work, because he deserves it.
Do you have the feeling, as Laurent Nicollin said, that it is a “poisoned gift”?
No no not at all. On the contrary, it is not poisoned, the gift! Me, it happened to me last year when Mathieu Chabert was landed from the Sporting Club of Bastia. I was given the team for two games. A fortnight has passed and it has been a fortnight that has been marvelous for me. When you do this job, you dream of those moments. So there are times that are more propitious than others. But as I said to Romain, he must crunch thoroughly in the four matches for the moment. And then afterwards, in football, you never know what can happen. If he has good results, if behind it hangs, with all that, I think it can do it. In any case, what I told him was that he must have no regrets. Let him not say to himself afterwards: I should have done it like this or like that. Moreover, we see it in his first choices. I believe that in his head, it was clear, he had to react. He did it by dismissing players. Now, I hope for him it will work out. In any case, I have confidence in him and I hope for him and for Montpellier Hérault that they will have results and that he will be able to stay and continue his rescue mission.
You, when you took over at Bastia, you started with a victory in the derby against Ajaccio. But was it complicated to take the team, when you were already in the club?
No, it’s not complicated. On the contrary. After that, it’s decision making. But we do this job to be there, at some point. So when you are there, you must not go back. We are soldiers of the club. You have to take advantage of every moment, put your paw down as quickly as possible. There, the thing is that there is urgency of results. So at first, it’s to try to bring points to the team, to ensure that the team takes a maximum of points in a very short time. That’s what’s complicated. In fact, it’s not about making choices or imposing your style, it’s about getting points quickly. This is the problem for Romain. Me, I told him: you have four games for now, enjoy and go after your ideas. Because after these four games, we don’t know what the future will hold.
Since taking office, Romain Pitau has insisted on the state of mind, the Paillade spirit. Are you surprised by the fact that these values dear to the club have been able to fly away or disappear, for some, here in Montpellier?
Of course that surprises me! Afterwards, you know, in all missions like that, rescue, you have to hold on to something. And in all the clubs, when the coaches arrive and they get to work, it is first of all the values, the values of the club. In Montpellier, there are values of La Paillade that are there. Me, I was also lucky to be able to rely on the values of Sporting, when I took the team in hand. It is a strength within the club. These are our internal resources, which we must use. Now, that they disappeared like that, over time and over months, it’s not normal, of course it’s not normal. But at some point, it was also inside the club, in the internal resources, to find that. And I think Romain found the right lever to try to get it all back in motion. You have to use these resources that are right next to it, inside, and press on them well, because it is only at this price that Romain and Montpellier Hérault will be able to save themselves and recover points quickly.
During the four seasons that you spent in Montpellier, did you ever forget the values and the paillade spirit along the way?
No, when we were there, they were always present. We had players who embodied these values well. There was a mix of old and young, but the youngsters were homegrown players. They embodied the values of La Paillade, like Younès, like Mapou. They were kids from the club. Afterwards, we, even if we arrived along the way, we appropriated them. We made them last as long as possible. Afterwards, for it to disappear like that, over time and coaches passing by, it’s not normal. That’s clear and clean. Today, in relation to the context, it’s quite easy to put them back in place. Afterwards, the group and the club also have to help him in this mission. Everyone has to hang behind that, because it’s a good lever. And if everyone hangs on to that, I think it’s going to turn out well.
Knowing the people at the club, starting with the president, the whole club will support him, that’s for sure. There is still a closeness that exists in this club. What makes the number one strength of the club is to be all together when it comes to uniting. I have no doubt about that, about the fact that everyone is getting behind him and supporting him in his rescue mission, which is to restore color to Montpellier Hérault, in relation to his values which he exudes. Afterwards, there is the club and the managers, but there is also the most important thing: the players and the supporters. He has to feel this support from an entire club, but also from the players and supporters so that it pushes him to go further in what he wants to do.
One of your models is René Girard. Do you think Romain is inspired by it, too?
Me, it’s my spiritual father, in football. And I’m sure Romain will be inspired by what René did during the four years we were together. And it’s sure that he will draw on René’s ideas, on the values he instilled when he arrived: rigor, seriousness, surpassing oneself. Here, he will rely on all these values to succeed in his mission. But sincerely, I think that if he has all the ingredients he needs, if everyone is behind him, he will be able to hang up the wagons and take points, that’s for sure.
Me, I have never hidden that the last times in Montpellier have been difficult. I haven’t played much the last year. But it was like that, there was better than me. You have to know how to step aside when there is better. However, our coach/player relationship has always been very good. And besides that, there was another relationship. You have to know how to separate things. For me, René will always remain René. He is my spiritual father in football, with everything he brought me. He was the one who started my career a bit as a youngster, because he was the director of the training center when he gave me one last chance to get there. And then he picked me up at the end, the circle was complete. He embodies human values, first of all, which are completely respectable. I have always followed this recipe, these values that he embodied, and René was for me a great pointer in football. Especially now, in the new coaching job that I too want to do. I have many memories of our time in Montpellier. Romain, he will use that to be able to pull everyone forward and reincarnate the values of the club. Because Montpellier Hérault has many values. The hardest thing for Romain is going to be to give these values to young players, because it’s true that with the new generations, it’s a bit complicated. But I think he will find the words to move forward.
- 2012 French champion with Montpellier, Cyril Jeunechamp is now coach of the U19s of the Sporting Club de Bastia, a club he joined in 2020.