Two big smiles are displayed on the faces of Gaël Pelletier, president of HBC Nantes, and Grégory Cojean, the team’s coach. They showed up relaxed, this Tuesday, for the back-to-school press conference of the Nantes handball club. For this new season, they are taking it upon themselves dreaming of taking down PSG from the top spot in the championship that he has held for 10 years.
Staff fatigue
A clear objective, and that’s the main thing. Several issues were discussed, including the fatigue of part of the squad after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Five players had different careers, and they are all returned to the Nantes field late, August 19 only.
Cédric Lecocq
“We work with a medical staff, a physical trainer, and tools that allow us to assess the load and we will try to get them above all not to get injured until the break in January”explains Grégory Cojean. The start of the school year is looking busy, with the start of hostilities this Saturday against PSG in the final of the Champions Trophy, then 17 matches which will follow one after the other until November 18, two per week on average.
Change in the group
A significant volume that must be understood carefully. “I got players back who were happy to come back, to play again, players who were committed and invested, says the coach. Not necessarily at the top of their physical level for my taste, but I see a lot of desire.” A situation which complicates the plans of the Nantais to conquer first place in the championship.
With five new recruits, Noam Leopold at left winger, Ayoub Adbi at right back, and three new pivots, Nicolas Tournat, Matej Gaber, Shuichi Yoshida. A significant change of squad on which the coach must move quickly.
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