The absence of Geoffroy-Guichard's Kops during this success of the Greens against Reims (3-1) made it possible to realize the energy deployed by Eirik “the King” Horneland. If since his arrival, his speech on a total investment of his players has been his trademark, it is clear that the former SK coach Brann is also more than active on his bench. Geoffroy-Guichard's billboards paid the price, twice. Another specificity of the new coach of the Greens, he masters the art of whistling wonderfully. Each recovery, each run forward, each request for pressing was accompanied yesterday by two sharp whistles from Horneland, as if to invite his players to look at him and apply his instructions. Louis Mouton and Benjamin Bouchouari were often the first attentive relayers of this musical ballet on the part of Horneland.
This behavior during the match contrasts with his phlegm in the post-match press conference, where a more calm Horneland faces the journalists. Asked about his excited attitude, he responds with irony and a smile: “I'm always like this, we'll have to get used to it, I think the players will have the opportunity to feel my energy”. These players discovered his style in training this week and are all unanimous, starting with Pierre Ekwah with whom in English, Horneland exchanged a lot on the pitch, yesterday during the match against Reims: “The coach? He's at full strength during every training session. He experiences the match with you, he experiences the training with you. The face you're going to put on in training, he's going to experience it with you. He experiences everything with For us, it's cool, we also find ourselves in that as he puts a lot of intensity into his words and his actions, we want to do the same thing on the ground. We had to question ourselves and that. welcome with open ears. He came with his ideas, his character because he's a big character. We're going to his side where it's not the good side.”.
Encouraged throughout the meeting by Horneland, Lucas Stassin scorer and decisive passer yesterday, was also able to measure Horneland's influence in this meeting: “There weren't any fans there, so we could hear it loudly, even if there was still an atmosphere. It's especially in training and in the locker rooms that the coach puts the emphasis on voice, even if we don't hear it, we know it's behind us. The players also transcribe this energy, we feel it everywhere.. Same for Dylan Batubinsika : “The coach is picky in his technical area, he pushes us every day since he has been here, it's all the time! All the time. Whoever falls asleep, he is immediately awake, he sees everything (laughs) .”
Since this first full-scale test against Reims, the national press and observers are unanimous on Eirik Horneland. A press room regular and external follower of the Greens confided yesterday after the match: “He is completely crazy, if it works with the players, with the club and with the public, I think you will really enjoy yourself in the months to come because he has just achieved a hell of a first”the sequel will confirm or not this good first impression left by the Norwegian coach of AS Saint-Étienne.
