“Together, we are a family. » The sentence, posted on social networks with the photo of the team in front of Virage Sud after the victory against Saint-Pryvé (2-0) on Saturday, is from the replacement goalkeeper Georges Grimaud, 18 years old and at the club since school football. In the complicated context of the Girondins, between environmental distrust towards the president/owner Gérard Lopez, uncertainty about the future or mass departures of employees last week, the senior group, set up urgently at the end of the summer , managed to create links in less than three months. Genesis of a communion which will remain to be maintained over time.
People, an axis of recruitment
Coach Bruno Irles highlighted this in his communication at the end of the summer during recruitment: in addition to the sporting aspect, the desire to choose players “with an impeccable state of mind, ready to do the 6-7 hours by bus for away matches. » Certain names ended up being excluded because their potential to come was limited.
Cédric Yambéré and Andy Carroll, leaders, because of their careers, knew how to set an example. Injured in Dinan at the beginning of September and little used since, the experienced Nama Fofana plays an important role in the shadows to bind things together while others (Driss Trichard, Yanis Merdji, Amadou Diallo or Lassana Diabaté) bring their good humor. “Dado (Prso, assistant coach, Editor’s note) and the medical staff too,” underlines coach Bruno Irles.
“We are trying to unite by bringing them in earlier, by making them responsible for integrating foreigners. »
“At this level, because we don't have the means to do fairly basic things like common meals at the training center, green time… continues the former defender. We try to unite through little things: bringing them into the locker room earlier, the shared moments when they come back in the afternoon to see the medical staff, making them responsible for integrating foreigners. »
Hosting recruits at the training center while waiting to find accommodation – some are still there – helped to quickly forge connections. “In our situation, it was time saved,” recognizes Bruno Irles. A lounge has been reserved after the matches at Matmut so that players and staff can stay there with their families.
Results and scenarios
It is easier to shape a group that discovers itself through success. This was not the case straight away (three draws and a defeat to start in the championship) but the scenarios, with the equalizer of goalkeeper Lassina Diabaté at the last second during the opening match against Poitiers (1 -1), Andy Carroll's double to come back from 0-2 to 2-2 against Châteaubriant and the success snatched the following week at Saumur (1-2) after being joined, made the mayonnaise rise. The post-match communions with the supporters, even behind closed doors, also helped to unite.
“Not having lost for a while (9 matches, Editor's note) maintains the positive dynamic,” points out Bruno Irles who is obviously waiting to also measure the unity of his team if it were to go through turbulence.
A well-established framework
The starting team, this Wednesday at Poiré-sur-Vie, should be half different from that which started against Poitiers on August 31. Certain elements, recruited by reserve coach Erwan Lannuzel and aligned that day, returned to N3. Others planned for the reserve, Nathanaël Baï and Soufiane Bahassa, have won the place for good in N2. The instructions are known to everyone: the N3 players who stood out the most the previous weekend are integrated into N2 training at the start of the following week with a possible place to be won if -this decrease in speed. The Coupe de France also allowed the staff to involve more players. There are disappointments, but the system is accepted so far.
“The situation is clear and the bridges exist,” replies Bruno Irles. Now they will have understood the day they will win with the N3. I told them. Mindset is one thing, but if they are not performing well on the floor below, it will be difficult to take the place of those above. »
The match: Poiré-sur-Vie (16th/5 pts) – Bordeaux (8th/13 pts), this Wednesday at 7 p.m., Idonnière stadium.
Two uncertainties
Four days after the success against Saint-Pryvé (2-0), the Girondins will be deprived of their captain Cédric Yambéré and their winger Travis Muyaba, in selections. On the other hand, they recover Adrien Louveau (suspended) who could replace the first in central defense. Nassim Ranem is also a candidate. The choice will be made this Wednesday, knowing that midfielder Thomas Trazié felt pain at the start of the week.
