Paris (AFP)
Propelled co-coach of Stade Français in mid-November, Julien Arias plans to "give some oxygen" to his club, last in Top 14, before starting Sunday in Brive with his partner Laurent Sempéré his delicate mission against a direct competitor for the maintenance.
Q: The trip to Brive, undefeated at home since 22 matches, is it already essential for the maintenance?
A: This is the beginning of a reconstruction, a new championship that starts. We are on a new dynamic for three weeks. We try to regain confidence, give back oxygen. If we lose that does not mean we will be relegated. If we win that does not mean we will be maintained. In a season there are ups and downs. We must not lose sight of our course which is still far enough.
Q: How are your first steps as a coach?
A: The transition was made naturally, I already had an old role as a player, I tried to guide others, to help them. It has not really changed. I stayed the same except that I work a lot more. I'm lucky to be here, I'm happy, I have a special story with this club.
Q: What duo of coaches do you train with Laurent Semperé?
A: We played together a lot of years, we already appreciated as teammates. We find ourselves in the same boat, we do not even ask the question. We are welded, we both threw ourselves into the adventure. We spend our days together, we start very early, we finish very late, we are glued to each other. We have the same vision of things. Now you have to win matches and see the evolution on the field.
Q: He, too, is a retired Stade Français player. You are necessarily close to your ex-teammates, is this an advantage?
A: We know how to talk to them, we know their character. But with Laurent we do not change our natures overnight. I will not get away from the people I was close to. After, inevitably, there is a small barrier that is created. If I have something to say I say it, whether it is good or bad but it is just to move the boat forward. What is important is that players want to progress again, to train, to rebuild. For everything to roll you have to find an alchemy.
Q: Did envy and pleasure totally go away?
A: We can not say that. We can not denigrate everything but it was a difficult time, we could not restart the machine. But we must not exaggerate, we must respect the people who were in place. It's not just six people involved (former coach Heyneke Meyer and his staff), it's because of everyone. They had their share of responsibility, because they were at the head of the team but we must not hide the face, there are things that the players were not doing well. It's also their fault.
Q: Your arrival in the coaching and that of Thomas Lombard as general manager marks the return to the identity of the Stade Français. How do you define this identity?
A: We, the identity we believe in is an identity with a lot of rigor, an identity where the players respect their club, train well, make the necessary efforts to be high level players. We can win, we can lose, but what interests us is first and foremost the daily attitude. We will then have a better chance of winning.
Q: Will you stay until the end of the season?
A: Yes, yes. After we see, Thomas will decide. But yes, it may be the case. We give the maximum and we are lucky that Thomas and the doctor (Hans-Peter) Wild (owner and president of Stade Français) trust us a lot. For them too it's pretty huge, if you put yourself in their place, give the reins of a team with a huge budget, a huge story, two novices ... We do not want to disappoint.
Interviewed by Olivier Levrault
© 2019 AFP