A wind of freshness is blowing over FC Martigues

It was not a Tuesday morning like any other for the FC Martigues residents, who took to training for the first time this season without Thierry Laurey. Their coach was suspended from his duties the day before by the management of the Martégal club and was replaced at short notice by his assistant Ibrahim Rachidi, alias “Bouillon”. “ We are not going to change our habits », he insisted before starting today’s collective session at the La Coudoulière stadium. The Martega players first warmed up in a corner of the field before working on a ball possession exercise and finishing in matches. They seemed free of a weight and happy, for the first time in several weeks, to be able to train under the supervision of a coach unanimously appreciated by the group. “ I have been close to the players for three seasonstold the man who arrived in Martigues in 2022 to join Grégory Poirier’s staff. We try to calm the atmosphere because it is not easy for them in terms of results and following the departure of the coach. But we are trying to do our best to already prepare well for the Coupe de France match “, he added. Ibrahim Rachidi will be present on the Provençal bench for this 16^e final at Bourgoin-Jallieu, but he should not stay in this position much longer. As the former Comorian international does not have the qualifications required to coach at the professional level, FC Martigues will have to find a new coach before the next Ligue 2 match, on January 3 on the pitch of Paris FC. Under penalty of paying a heavy fine. “ I support the club at this levelindicates coach Rachidi. We don’t have the biggest budget in the championship and we will have significant expenses around the team. We are all here for the club and the most important thing is that it manages to get through it. »

For the Sang et Or to get through this, they must first have fun again on the pitch. “ Even if we encounter difficulties during our matches, the most important thing is that we find a soul and a team that wants to win matches », Estimates the interim coach, aware that the return to the Francis-Turcan stadium, a priori for the reception of Amiens on January 24, will do them the greatest good. Until then, FC Martigues, banned from recruiting during the winter transfer window, will lose one of its attackers. Patrick Ouotro (19 years old), on loan from RC Strasbourg-Alsace since the start of the season, will indeed return to his club at the request of the Alsatian team. The young Ivorian, present at training Tuesday morning, has scored only one goal this season in thirteen appearances. “ Players need to regain self-confidenceinsists Ibrahim Rachidi. We saw in our first matches that something was happening, with a desire to show things, especially against Annecy [la première victoire, Ndlr.]. There was not this continuity we hoped for, but we will try to recreate this new lease of life. »It will be essential to stay in Ligue 2.