Béziers Angels: “A victory against Quimper would allow us to get back up in the standings”

Béziers hosts Quimper this Saturday in a decisive meeting to relaunch in the championship. Current 12^ewith two victories in nine matches, the context is unusual for the Béziers volleyball club. Bernard Fages, president of the club, takes stock of the situation.

How do you analyze this start of the season?

We cannot say that the start of the season is satisfactory. We lost several matches by very close scores, often in a tie-break (17-15, 15-13). This reflects a lack of success in key moments. We have completely renewed the team: 80% of the players and the staff, with a new coach and a new assistant. Sometimes these changes work immediately, sometimes it takes time. Unfortunately, we are second to last, a position the club has never had for 15 years. It's a stressful situation for everyone.

To what do you attribute these poor performances?

We face several difficulties. First, the lack of confidence, which prevents us from finishing close matches. Then, physical problems: several players are injured or weakened. All this weighs on the results. But this group has potential. We saw it in certain matches where we stood up well to big teams like Nantes or Mulhouse.

Is the morale of the players affected by this situation?

Morale is not high, but there remains cohesion in the team, which is important. The girls get along well, there are no internal problems. Now, it is our role as leaders and staff to find the words and the means to restore their confidence. We increase our discussions with them to understand their blockages and help them free themselves.

Is this match against Quimper already a turning point?

It's a very, very important match. A victory would allow us to breathe a little and get back up in the rankings. This could also become a benchmark match to restore confidence to the team. Quimper is a team to respect. They play combative volleyball and don't give up. We will have to be serious and concentrated to hope to win.

How did you prepare for this meeting?

This week, we adjusted the training sessions based on the weak points identified in recent matches. We also had a lot of discussions with the players to free them mentally. The objective is to find pleasure again on the field. When a team plays loose, they are able to show their true potential. We insisted on this point. This group has talent, they must now demonstrate it in decisive moments.

In the event of defeat, will it be necessary to speak of urgency?

I prefer not to anticipate. A defeat would be a big blow, but we will continue to fight. The goal is to get a place in the playoffs (the first eight) and we still have time to achieve that. Once in the playoffs, anything can happen.
Facing Quimper, it is a determined but pressured team from Béziers who are preparing to wage an essential fight to get back on track.