- Tuesday, they were the first to find the grounds. With those from Stade Rennais, the players from RC Strasbourg are the only ones to have resumed training. How is it going ? Their trainer, Thierry Laurey, details the organization.
- This choice to resume before the others, the technician appreciates it. Are the other elite clubs wrong to delay their return? "It is estimated that it is better to resume three weeks before cutting a little, rather than stopping three or even three and a half months before leaving for a preparation of ten weeks", replies Thierry Laurey, without giving a lesson.
- The Alsatian coach also sweeps all the news from his club. Like the departure of two of his assistants, three players at the end of the contract, any arrivals this summer ...
No contact, no shooting, small groups on separate grounds ... Tuesday, RC Strasbourg players were the first in Ligue 1 to find the field. Under very specific conditions. Their trainer, Thierry Laurey, explains this recovery and plans for the next season.
How are you after two months without land?
Very good, no problem! The time has been a bit long at times but it's okay. I took advantage of this period to watch a lot of matches, not necessarily ours, and many players. Otherwise, we stayed in Strasbourg and we were lucky to have a garden and a swimming pool. The conditions were pleasant and I also took the opportunity to go running from time to time with my wife.
Since Tuesday, you have found your team for an “individual recovery”. Why did you choose to return to training?
For different reasons. The first is that the players asked us to. During confinement, we did videoconference training. It was pretty good but for those who are in an apartment, it is five minutes. We have therefore found solutions so that this return to the field can take place.
How does it actually work?
We have already tested the players and all were negative. Their temperature is repeated each time. They are in small groups of six. The boys arrive at staggered hours and have different parking lots and grounds. Once out of their car, they are dressed and go directly to the field with their personal water bottle. Then they leave like that and wash their things at home, the old way!
🔙 This Tuesday, in the strictest respect of health rules, and, in staggered schedules, the Strasbourg made an individualized recovery on the facilities of the # RacingMutestAcadémie 🏋️♂️
📸 The photo gallery:
➡️ https://t.co/ w56zYHPNzm pic.twitter.com/ohouA2aQO1
And the training itself, what does it look like?
There is no collective session, therefore no contact, play, opposition. No strike on goal and head game either, and you don't touch the ball by hand. There are also distances to respect, from 8 to 12 meters between each player. But they touch the ball, work, change support ... We try to do very fun exercises, on which the boys will find gestures of footballers. Even when we go quietly, they have sore legs at the end! We wanted to put this in place first to find out where they were on the athletic aspect.
Where are they at?
Physically, the group is far from being in good shape. We thought that there would be a small delta of the order of 15-20% at the muscular level but it is a little higher. We resume gradually. Basically, if I have to caricature: you take 25 players who are injured for two months and you have to get them all back in shape. It is quite complex.
Did some people come back with a few extra pounds?
At all ! They did not gain weight, but their muscle mass decreased. The boys were serious, but when you don't train regularly, your body becomes a little softer. To image, they are the same weight as before but with a little fat around the muscle.
Only Racing and Stade Rennais have so far chosen to resume. Do you think the other Ligue 1 clubs are wrong?
It is estimated that it is better to start again three weeks before cutting a little, rather than to stop three or even three and a half months before leaving for a preparation of ten weeks. Especially when we come back at the end of June, we still don't know where we will be in sanitary conditions. We chose this option but we don't pretend to have the truth. We had this reflection because Marc ( Keller, the club president ), as a former footballer, shares the vision of the staff and the players. I think it will do a lot of good for everyone. We are all happy to meet again.
Racing news was also marked this week by the departure of two of your assistants, David Ducourtioux and Jean-Yves Hours. Why so many movements?
For David, it's a family choice. His children are in Corsica and he wanted to go back there. Otherwise, it was felt, and I was the first, that it was good to have a different speech to avoid falling into a routine.
The names of two former members of the house, Jean-Marc Kuentz and Stéphane Cassard, are mentioned to replace them. You confirm ?
I know both and I confirm that they are part of the short list that we have established. But there are other profiles, I received a lot of requests from coaches. We will decide in the hours or days to come.
At the player level, things are also changing with the departures of Benjamin Corgnet, Jérémy Grimm and Abdallah Ndour. Are you behind these non-renewal of contracts?
We are still discussing three for these files, with the president ( Marc Keller ) and Loïc Désiré ( the recruitment manager ). Kader ( Mangane, the sports coordinator ) also gives his opinion from time to time. It turns out that for these three boys, we were all connected. I thank them for what they have given us.
Having reached the end of their contract, Benjamin #Corgnet, Abdallah #Ndour and Jérémy #Grimm will no longer be part of the Strasbourg professional workforce next season.
💬 The President of Racing, Marc Keller, wanted to thank them for their commitment to serving the club ⤵️
Do you expect return arrivals?
Yes, of course. For the moment, we have tracks but all the conditions are not met for signatures to be made quickly. For example, we will have to wait for the end of certain championships.
Have you targeted specific positions?
In the middle, we will have to look, and also behind because we want to reshape the workforce a little. In front, we will see how we organize ourselves because we have already recruited Medhi Chahiri (Red Star) this winter. To be honest, it will not move too much and we will not revolutionize the team. But it is obvious that if there are to be movements of players under contract, we will have to adapt.
Does this mean that you fear unscheduled departures?
No, but we know it can happen. At any time, clubs can arrive and make big offers. When you look closely, luckily Monaco came for Fofana in January. Without that (15 million euros), we might have financial difficulties today. The goal of the game is not to sell everyone but to manage the workforce quietly to keep a certain unity.
You wouldn't be against keeping the promising defender Mohamed Simakan for another year…
Him and others! Today, we have a coherent team so I don't want to let anyone go. But if someone has to leave us, we will adapt.
An emblematic element will arrive at the end of the contract next season, Dimitri Liénard. Are you in favor of an extension?
For the moment, it is not in the plans but I do not worry about it. We have forged a strong relationship and that doesn't worry me at all, like for other players.
Last question, Racing finally finished in 10th place in Ligue 1 after stopping the championship. Is it in its place?
You have to believe ... But if we had played the 28th day instead of having our match postponed, the classification might not have been the same. It was enough, it's easy to say, to beat PSG 1-0 and we ended up sixth. It's annoying but this tenth place satisfies us, especially since we were last on the 10th day. Our next goal? It is premature to speculate on what will be next season.
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