Caen was his very first landmark in France, when he arrived in Normandy in the summer of 2006. During his first stint at HCC, Jaroslav Prosvic had two seasons in the Magnus League, before compiling 73 points in 31 D1 matches. during the following exercise.
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A former generous and skillful striker, the 37-year-old Slovak returned to the Drakkars in 2017, with the desire to help a club in difficulty and the desire to settle permanently in Caen, under another hat. By appointing Jaroslav Prosvic coach of the professional team in the spring of 2024, the Caen leaders are choosing a man deeply attached to the club, known and appreciated by everyone even before putting on his new costume.
READ ALSO. Julien Guimard leaves, Jaroslav Prosvic succeeds him on the bench of HC Caen
The challenge is significant. Having barely finished the youth team season, it will force the new coach to roll up his sleeves this spring to build a squad that will experience profound transformations. Its president Christophe Lanes explains this choice.
Christophe, what made you want to hand over the reins of the professional team to Jaroslav Prosvic?
It’s a choice that goes back a long way. When Jaro (Prosvic) returned to Caen (end of 2017, as a player), he already had this wish to end his career in Caen and switch to coaching. We were committed to training him and giving him responsibilities in the long term. He started by cutting his teeth in the U20s, for three seasons, obtaining quite incredible results. He brought them into Pool A, at the highest French level, and enjoyed a series of eighteen victories with them. Jaro was also in charge of the U15s (in pairs with Rodolphe Garnier this season), whom he took to the silver medal this year. This appointment is just continuity. His ultimate goal was to coach a professional team. We hadn’t talked about timing or date but when we got into this process with him, we knew that he would one day be coach of the first team.
Why is this the right time for you?
Because I think he’s ready. The question arose after the departure of Luc Chauvel (in 2022). He still needed to learn and get tougher. There was also a problem of proximity with the players in the locker room because he had just stopped his career (in spring 2022). It wasn’t necessarily a gift to give him to find himself immediately facing his former teammates. It was good to take the time and we gave it to ourselves. Today is the right time because the opportunity presented itself with the departure of Julien (Guimard) and the question had already been asked in the past.
What do you like about him as a man and a coach?
He’s just a good guy. I think we have the same values. As a coach, he is someone who can sometimes seem to lack a little rigor, with this somewhat “freestyle” side. But behind that, he is extremely demanding with his players and I think he manages to get a little more than the sum of all the individuals in a team. He really manages to create something, without falling into cronyism and affect.
After the shadow of the youth categories, there will now be the exposure and pressure of the professional level.
He’s already starting to feel the pressure. The first pressure is to build the team and that is playing out at the moment. It’s special because it all happened a little quickly, he was at the U15 finals at the end of April. He is currently finishing his training and getting his diploma. This should go very well but we have to see it through to the end. Being in training, he will no matter what happens to occupy the position of coach in D1.
What did you like and convince you about what he has built with the youth teams in recent years?
He arrived a little later than the other trainers and did not have all the history of the club’s youth. He had this outside eye and he knew how to balance things out perfectly at certain times and smooth out the angles at others. His human management reflects his personality. However, he is capable of shouting or making decisions. But he has this empathy which feels good.
Did the question of looking for an outside coach arise?
Absolutely not. Jaro (Prosvic) was the first one we went to see. This is the project that we have been putting in place for some time. When Luc (Chauvel) brought him back to the club (end of 2017), we talked for a long time. He always coached, wherever he went. It’s not a default choice after his career. He wanted to do this, he prepared for this. Now we have to make it happen. It might be a little earlier than we expected, but I think he’s ready.
Does this choice of a trainer and former player of the club also refer to the project and the identity of the club?
Jaro (Prosvic) took care of the upper part of the formation. He knows the young people he will integrate into the professional squad perfectly. We are in the middle of our project. When the question came up, it was so obvious that I didn’t even call him to ask. We have been working for this for five years. Especially him.
Many departures have been or will be announced. What face does the club want to give to its flagship team next season?
We want to have fewer foreign players. Will we be able to? We don’t yet know for sure. But the idea is to recruit four or five foreigners maximum, mainly in attack, and to have a rather young team. We are going to significantly renew the squad and give pride of place to certain young people who we hope to be able to count on for several additional seasons. Our desire is also to recruit young French people with potential. There are also young people growing within the club and we need to make room from above. Luca (Hacala) and Marius (Cagigos) have been with us for a long time but if we keep our standards, if we still want to play at the top of the table, we have to partly renew the squad. The young French people who will arrive will be surrounded by the most experienced who remain at the club (Quemener, Devin, Janil, Alvarez, Carminati, Mulle, Berthon).
