At Chamois, Philippe Hinschberger is “saddened and stunned”

Once again, he did not miss the call. Coach of the Chamois Niortais, Philippe Hinschberger is also a little more than that, ultimately. Already stepped up to the plate at the end of the sporting season, then in the heart of the Niort summer marked by the sales process, the original Lorraine returns to recent news, namely this demotion to N2 pronounced by the DNCG, while evoking a sporting aspect to the shutdown, while the resumption arrives this Wednesday, July 3 in the most total unknown.

How do you react, already, to this announcement of this DNCG which has finally been made?

“It was about time, since we’ve been waiting for this for a month. Now, we at least have a direction. I had Mikaël (Hanouna) on Monday or Tuesday, and what he explained to me is what he already told the press: a priori, he has a buyer. They signed Tuesday evening but he didn’t have time, technically, to do the paperwork. On Tuesday, he knew we would be demoted. And when you hear him speak, he’s confident. I don’t really know what to think about it.”

The FFF appeals commission is renowned for being rather severe, even intransigent…

“When you’re at the DNCG of the LFP, overall, you don’t have too many worries. And that’s been the case for the Chamois Niortais for about ten years. When you’re in difficulty, they can have a somewhat benevolent eye. But between the disciplinary committee of the LFP and that of the federation, it’s different. A tackle from behind is a firm match and another suspended sentence in front of the league, but six firm matches in front of the federation. They don’t have a reputation for picking lilies of the valley! We’ll need a solid case, that’s for sure, because they won’t give us any gifts.”

What is your predominant feeling: being worried, helpless or a bit of all of these at once?

“Not worried or helpless, no, because we knew it would be a complicated off-season, and we are in it. Sportingly, we are in the dark with this resumption planned for Wednesday (July 3) and we don’t know at all what we are doing. We are going to discuss it with Mikaël. But what annoys me, and this is what I have already said to several media outlets, is this silence around the club. It bothers me. Everyone is pointing the finger at Mikaël Hanouna. OK, he did stupid things and created debts. Behind that, you don’t hear anything. A priori, everyone likes the club but no one is there. Everyone is pointing the finger at their neighbor, accusing them of being the ugly duckling. And I include everyone: politicians, partners, local investors, the departmental council and I’m not even talking about the town hall, which has zero communication. I understand very well that no one wants to get involved, but I am sure that the day the club finds itself in R2, people will rub their hands together and say that they will be able to take over the thing.”

You had already warned about the state of the club at the end of the season, Quentin Bernard too. Ultimately, you didn’t have many relays behind. Does this disappoint you?

“Of course. I am really saddened and stunned. Everyone is talking to themselves! There are lots of people who call me to say “I was told that”, “we think that”, “we are talking about” but today, there is nothing concrete. No one is able to sit down at a table. Between Mikaël (Hanouna) and the town hall, they have been throwing stones at each other in the newspapers for three years, but at some point, try to talk to find a solution. Sticking to your guns has never helped anyone move forward. It is not tomorrow, when we wake up with the most beautiful stadium in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in R1 or R2, that we will have to do it. I wish them lots of fun in the years to come to get back to National. Today is the day we need to intervene!” It seems like everything that has been done sport-wise this year is crap.”

Coming back to the sporting plan, how are you concretely preparing for this recovery which is coming very quickly?

“We are ready. Our friendly matches are canceled and the resumption is set for July 3. Medical tests are planned, with around ten players under contract and who can represent, overall, 60% of the workforce. They are mainly in the offensive sector, but defensively, they will have to recruit. There are boys we wanted to keep and who, unfortunately, have already left. I’m not necessarily talking about Samuel (Renel) or Samy (Benchamma), but rather elements like Quentin (Bernard), Bruno (Ecuele Manga) or Paul (Delecroix). These people can’t wait, and that’s normal. Mikaël is never angry (laughs). The managers always think that you have until August 15 to recruit but if you do six or seven weeks of preparation, it’s not for nothing. »

Contractually, does the pronounced demotion change anything for the players?

“This is the first time in 40 years of work that I’ve experienced this situation. I have no idea. Today, the players have a professional contract. The club is officially in N2, but is the appeal suspensive? Until proven otherwise, it’s a federal level. But I don’t know any more. The players have a union and will deal with it. It’s the same for the coaches. I signed a professional contract so if tomorrow, we’re in N2, I think it’s void. But I don’t care about my particular case: if I have to stay and go jogging on the beach, I’ll do it. For everyone who works with me, on the other hand, it makes me sad.”

Besides Renel and Benchamma, are there other official departures, with the upcoming departure of Delecroix to Dijon?

“Paul (Delecroix) will sign in Dijon, but for the rest, we have no information. In particular elements like Durivaux or M’Bondo, those who started with us last year. If they have nothing, they might be happy to come back. These are elements that we know and which have had a good season, so it’s interesting. »

With your background and experience, are you trying to test the waters with other players in case there is an urgent need to rebuild?

“So far, I haven’t done anything. I sent a message to the squad group about two weeks ago to tell them that, unfortunately, we had zero information. Which was true. When you don’t have information, you don’t give false information. And that’s what I said to Eytan and Mikaël: silence attracts the imagination. Everyone thinks about their own thing and with that, you get nowhere. So I didn’t contact anyone. The day we are given the green light, it might be time to recall one or two players to see what they do. But they are at the end of the contract, so these are items without insurance from 1^is July. And it’s always difficult to train in this case.”