He is the one who operates in the shadows, but whose multiple tasks are essential to the proper functioning of the Bleues. As team manager, Emmanuel Fouchet sees himself as “guarantor of the state of mind established” since the French volleyball federation decided to get the French women’s team out of the rut in 2018.
In six years, Les Bleues have climbed several levels, going from 55th in the world to the Top 15 at the start of the year. In the meantime, they have played two quarter-finals (2021 and 2023) at the Euro and qualified for the first time this year in the prestigious World Nations League (VNL) after winning their first titles: the 2022 European Golden League and the 2023 Challenger Cup.
“An incredible atmosphere”
“It takes years of work to reach the real high level,” says Emmanuel Fouchet, who says he experienced an event like no other at the Paris Games this summer. “You have to separate two things. The incredible atmosphere and the fervor that surrounded all the French teams, including ours, this summer. Playing in front of 13,000 people at full throttle is not usual for us. Besides that, in terms of pure competition, we still come away a little frustrated, because we lost our three group matches 3-0. But we mustn’t forget where we come from and what teams we’ve played against. The girls still held up well against the United States, who were still playing for their qualification against us, losing 27-29, 27-29 and 21-25. Overall, our level of play was higher at these games than at the VNL in June. And these Games have also allowed the emergence of young people like Juliette Gelin, Halimatou Bah and Maeva Schalk.”
“Learn from the best”
What exactly is the role of the former Quimper Volley coach (2014 to January 2017) who remained living in Quimper and was a PE teacher in Fouesnant the rest of the time?
“From a philosophical point of view, I would say to maintain the same desire and the same rigor with the rest of the staff and the players by going to learn what we don’t know how to do from the best,” he replies.
From a more pragmatic point of view, Emmanuel Fouchet is a “multi-card player”. This goes from the development of the extended staff to the monitoring of internationals during the season with statistical reports to the coach, through the implementation of international campaigns (organization of matches and preparation courses, budget management, etc.) as this year with the VNL and the Games.
Be part of the new cycle
“Everything surrounding the players has to be as efficient as possible,” he sums up, without any real regret for his former life as a professional team coach.
“I miss the adrenaline of competition, but I miss the crazy life and the precariousness of a professional coach much less.”
The Games marked the end of a cycle with the departure of Belgian coach Emile Rousseaux. Marc Francastel has just been appointed performance director within the FFVB and will form a new staff to build a new project. Of which Emmanuel Fouchet aspires to be a part.
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