Paris (AFP)

"Unprepared", "Denatured Cup" ... The discontent rises among the amateurs engaged in the Coupe de France, while the pleasure of returning to the competition on January 30 and 31 is marred by concerns about the conditions for resuming training under curfew and on an ultra-tight schedule.

"It's a mess of mouth", thunders the trainer of Feurs (Loire, Regional 1), Olivier Jurine, in La Tribune / Le Progrès.

"There is no respect for the amateur world. Receive a press release on the 19th to say that we are playing on the 31st?"

he wonders.

"The players will not be mentally ready" to face the Académie Moulins (National 3).

For the leader, the French Football Federation (FFF), which wanted at all costs to save its prestigious trophy more than a hundred years old, not even interrupted by the Second World War, "privileged the financial stakes by separating professionals and amateurs".

Without resources, amateurs must set up an expensive health protocol and set up PCR tests to track down Covid-19.

The coach of Velay FC (Haute-Loire, N3), Michael Pierzak, is even thinking of withdrawing against the neighbor of Le Puy (N2).

"I thought about it", he explains to La Tribune-Le Progrès.

"None of my players are mentally and physically ready to play. If we go, we will be derailed," he pleaded.

- "Denatured cut" -

Not all fans are also upset against the surprise announcement on Tuesday of the resumption of the Cup.

"We are happy to attack again. We are not going to complain", assures AFP the coach of Limonest-Saint-Didier, club of N3 of the Rhône, Nicolas Pinard.

However, he highlights the stewardship concerns with the curfew.

"Some players can at 4:00 pm but a priori we would have ten players out of a workforce of 23. It's difficult," he explains, before facing Salaise.

Negotiations are underway between the government and the FFF on certain points of the protocol and on the issue of training exemptions, according to a connoisseur of the file.

Further south, the president of FC Martigues (Bouches-du-Rhône), Alain Nersessian (N2), finds that "the Cup is a little distorted, but we are still happy to return to the field, he said to the 'AFP. Playing is still the vocation of a football club.

And the clubs also have a financial interest: participation in the 7th round brings in 7,500 euros then 15,000 euros in the 8th round, then 30,000 and 50,000 euros in the 32nd and 16th finals.

President Martégal considers all the same that this recovery "is a little rushed, and I am thinking of the small clubs, for which it will be difficult to prepare in 15 days".

He recalls that the championships from N2 have experienced a roller coaster this season, between announcements of resumption, then cancellation of competitions.

- "A lot of unpreparedness" -

“Of course, it's a particular context,” Nersessian admits, “there's nothing rational right now and I don't want to yell with the pack. But it seems to me there's a lot of unpreparedness.”

He prefers to retain the pleasure of returning to competition.

"It also gives a little hope for the months to come in a really depressing period. We need to find things to share, the matches are part of it," says Nersessian.

To complete the calendar of the Coupe de France on the amateur side, after these matches of the 5th (late) and 6th rounds, the 7th and 8th rounds are scheduled over three successive weekends, then the 32nd finals, the 20th and the 21st of February.

The reunification between the path of professional clubs (L1 and L2) is scheduled for March 6 and 7, in the round of 16, for this new format.

In this context, no postponement of the match will be authorized, the teams not being able to attend will lose by forfeit.

Nicolas Pinard, the coach of Limonest, prefers to keep the positive.

"Qualifying us would be good, so that we can continue to have the pleasure of training a little, he says. This is perhaps the most motivating aspect."

© 2021 AFP