Reality or coué methodthe Montpellier Hérault coach affirmed that there was “no emergency“to win and made it clear that there was no more pressure than that, for this first day of Ligue 1, during the press conference on Friday morning.
A way to play down, no doubt, because the stakes are indeed enormous for him as for the pailladins who have not won since March, in the league, and who have not won any of the five preparation meetings this summer.
A victory or nothing!
The technician is not the only one to have adopted this method, before this crucial meeting, facing Estac. Still facing the media, before the match, the defender Arnaud Souquet wanted to be reassuring and indicated that the locker room and the staff – a group within which sometimes harsh exchanges have multiplied in recent weeks to solve problems and burst possible abscesses – were and should be “more united than ever“.
The right side also hammered that all were “in the same boat“, wanted to emphasize that the responsibilities were shared, and that it would be too easy to overwhelm the coach and his assistants.
On the side of the president, same story, in the columns of Midi Libre, Friday morning: “there is vigilance, but it is not concern“, has explained Laurent Nicollin, in relation to the current dynamic and the lack of resultsbefore adding: “Olivier is a competent trainer who works well (…) I don’t see why I would change or reinforce my trainer. If he’s no good, I’ll fire him. If it is good I will keep it, or even extend it. If I hadn’t wanted him anymore, I would have fired him in June. I have no complaints about him, other than that we finished 13th.”
Sacred Union?
The boss has, at least momentarily, set the record straight. He hopes to have relieved his men and put out the fires. Earlier and internally, Laurent Nicollin also challenged his boys and is now counting on his team to get off to a good start and not rekindle the embers. Especially on its leaders “Mamad’ Sakho, Jordan Ferri, Téji Savanier, Joris Chotard, who can become one, or Wahbi to boost the team“.
On the other hand, he warns:let us approach the competition. My players are competitors and will be ready for the start (…) If then, we are not good, we will do what we have to do“.
A sword of Damocles above the head?
In other words, if Olivier Dall’Oglio does not play his future on this match, the result of this one will condition it in part. Leaders’ patience hasn’t officially reached its limit, but it hasn’t moved away from it either, since May, and will approach it, depending on the results by the end of August.
Getting the season off to a good start is therefore a necessity. First to reassure themselves and break the negative spiral. Then, so as not to frighten the fans any further, with a poor entry performance, at home, against a declared candidate for maintenance, whose summer sky was not bluer, with two heavy defeats against Toulouse and Metz . And finally, so as not to head straight for a thunderclap and a change of course, during what many are calling season of all dangers.
Any surprises to start?
Deprived of Jordan Ferri (suspended), but also of Sacha Delaye and Arnaud Nordin (injured), Olivier Dall’Oglio will not be able to field his standard team. Its captain, Téji Savanier, should thus move back a notch, while an unprecedented hinge could start and several surprises should appear, on each line, in the starting lineup.
At a press conference, the technician indicated that he had made discipline a key wordfor the season that is starting, after some players were sorely lacking during the last return phase. The tone has therefore been raised, and we also understand that no gift will be made from a coach who plays his part and who hopes to get everyone to agree, rather than to put everyone on their backs.