Epinal (AFP)

Xavier Collin, one of the heroes of Gueugnon, winner of the Coupe de la Ligue in 2000, is aiming for a new feat, this time with Epinal (N2) as coach, against Lille Wednesday (6.30 p.m.): hoisting himself for the first time in quarters of the Coupe de France

"It will remain engraved forever. I saw the images again, it was an exceptional moment," recalls for AFP the 45-year-old technician, native of the Vosges, who already led the SAS in the round of 16 facing in Marseille (0-2) in 2018.

The former defender, who entered the game in the final against Paris SG (2-0), took advantage of this title won by surprise to discover the elite two seasons later, with AC Ajaccio , at 28 years old.

It was in Corsica that he played the first of his 160 L1 games, for a small goal. He finished his discreet career in Montpellier in 2011.

"He deserved to make another career. Always punctual, never irregular, intelligent in the use of his capacities, it is a player who made want to train", confides Rolland Courbis, who recruited him to the ACA and also trained him in Hérault.

Same story with Alex Dupont, coach of the Blacksmiths in 2000. He remembers "the party at the Lido, the 30,000 Burgundians at the Stade de France and the village bells ringed by the parish priest" on the evening of the improbable victory against PSG, but also Xavier Collin, a player "serious and an exemplary mentality".

"I might not have had a career without Gueugnon. I fought, I was given nothing. I was a good teammate without having extraordinary qualities," explains Collin.

- "find the professional world" -

Twenty years after Gueugnon's feat, Collin wants to "rediscover the professional world", but in the skin of a coach. This match against Lille, "as for the players, it remains an opportunity, a highlight", recognizes the former Ajaccian.

Epinal, an average fourth division (7th) club with a budget of 950,000 EUR, has not managed to extricate itself from the N2 since its relegation from the National in 2017. Collin needs to manage a club at least at the third level to be able to pass the professional coaching diploma.

"It's the key to finding the professional world. Epinal has a professional past (10 seasons in L2 from 1974 to 1997) and remains ambitious. We must take the example of Rodez, Chambly and continue to structure ourselves", explains the ex -Montpelliérain, who raised Béziers to National in 2015 before being sacked a few months later.

"This good journey can give him a hand in the media. His coaching career resembles that of player, he deserves better," corroborates Courbis.

To climb into the round of 16, the players of Collin notably dismissed Sochaux (2-0), club L2 in the 7th round and the valiant Reunion of Saint Pierroise (R1) (1-0 ap) in the previous round.

Distanced in the league, the Cup has become the "objective" of the season for Collin. In his squad, only midfielder Jérémy Colin (with a single l) experienced the epic of 2013 when the SAS had reached the 8th finals after eliminating Lyon (3-3, 4-2 tab) then Nantes (1- 1, 4-3 tab).

"At the start of the season, I told the guys that we would go to the quarter-finals, remembers the 29-year-old versatile player. I can feel it. Lille is a big team but anything is possible."

© 2020 AFP