Gautier Larsonneur, the ASSE goalkeeper, discreet in the media, gave himself up for Progress. It retraces the season and the life of the group. Also, the player trained in Brest also talks about his role in the locker room and on the pitch. Excerpts.
“I feel like I’ve had ten crises, that we’ve fired twenty coaches! »
A completely crazy season which reached the end of the suspense with this goal in the 117th minute of the play-off overtime. A trying season also for the goalkeeper who admits having experienced the departure of Laurent Batlles very difficult: “The ousting of coach Batlles was very hard for me, I had never experienced that during the season. Above all, I had a feeling of anger inside me. When a team is doing badly, it’s either the coach or the goalkeeper who takes action first. Unfortunately, he paid for the poor results. The three days that followed were difficult to live with because I had a very good relationship with him and the staff. We had to quickly switch to something else. In the end, I have the impression of having experienced ten crises, that we fired twenty coaches but we ended up with 65 points and managed to move up to Ligue 1. That’s the charm of AS Saint-Étienne (smile). »
An ASSE leader in the locker room and on the pitch
Without tongue in cheek and concerned about the collective interest, the ASSE goalkeeper notably recounts an anecdote with Cafaro, his great friend: “Some players don’t need it but others, just through little words, feel that I am there and that reassures them. It’s important to have that connection. Over time, you learn how your partners work and what it takes to wake them up. Sometimes you have to go as far as insults to get some people to move (smiles). This is management and it is very important. It’s important to say things to each other to move the group forward. When there is a shouting match, it must be in the collective interest and not so that the person opposite feels inferior. I remember a corner where with Cafi (Mathieu Cafaro, Editor’s note), we almost punched each other in the face because I told him that he wasn’t doing the job! But he also tells me when things aren’t going well. That’s how a band moves forward. This sometimes leads to being annoying and demanding of everyone. I think the communications department can no longer see me (laughs). I think about everyone’s interests. »
