How do you look at the season that ends?
Mixed. During this season, we alternated the good, in the first part of the championship, and the less good during the return phase. We could, with more regularity, be more competitive in the struggle for accession to R2 which constituted our objective. Among seniors, annoyance is above all the descent of the reserve team in D3.
Do you have any explanations?
No doubt we had a limited number of number, which may explain that when, in the hollow of winter, our infirmary found itself well stocked, our results suffered from it. However, we were not impeccable in terms of investment during this same period. We have certainly paid the high price of a guilty collective release. And, it is known, when you enter a negative spiral, it is never easy to get out of it because doubts settle down. Without confidence, performance is no longer the same!
Is it for these reasons that you decided to change the coach?
Jean Frauciel is the best coach we have had since the merger and we are very respectful of his involvement and the quality of his work. Very clearly, he made us evolve, gaining rigor, crossing an important level. Simply, we considered that a revival was desirable and that it was advisable to start a new cycle after these last three seasons spent with Jean. I admit that – humanly – it was not easy to make this decision and even less to announce it to the interested party with which we want to keep the best possible relationships.
-And your choice to replace it fell on Olivier Hériveau, why?
I have known Olivier for a few years. We asked him three years ago when he preferred – which we had understood perfectly – becoming the coach of FC Marmande in R1. Since then, we have regularly continued to exchange, maintained contact. Quite naturally, when we made the decision to change coach, we turned to him. It seems to us to be the man of the situation. His experience, especially in terms of training, should be profitable for FCPA which wishes to favor the integration, among seniors, of our best young people.
Will there be movements, reinforcements within your senior workforce?
We work there. We are moving to quantitatively expanding our senior workforce, while trying to strengthen us qualitatively at our pennant team. We are in advanced discussion with several good players, but it is still a little early to say more.
What will be your goals for 2025-2026?
As a priority, the rise of team B. For the pennant team, it will be playing the top of the table, progressing, and why not get the rise in R2 which would offer a very nice reward to all of our volunteers.
