"We must restore cohesion" to the Girondins, believes Alain Roche

The club's new sporting director looks back on his first weeks at HaillanAlain Roche, the sports director of the Girondins de Bordeaux. - Q. Salinier / Girondins de Bordeaux On August 10, Alain Roche became the new sports director of the Girondins de Bordeaux. He replaced the Spaniard Eduardo Macia. The former Bordeaux defender is back at the club in a very complicated context on all levels. He has been trying for a month to restore order. Without money for the summer

Alain Roche, the sports director of the Girondins de Bordeaux.

Q. Salinier / Girondins de Bordeaux

On August 10, Alain Roche became the new sports director of the Girondins de Bordeaux.
He replaced the Spaniard Eduardo Macia.
The former Bordeaux defender is back at the club in a very complicated context on all levels.
He has been trying for a month to restore order.
Without money for the summer transfer window, he hopes above all to keep the majority of the current workforce even if he still has to sell before October 5 to be in the nails financially.

It is like home.

Back in the Girondins 20 years later, Alain Roche can even go to eat at mum and dad's place between two meetings, as when he attended the club's training center and then the professional team between 1985 and 1989 or at early 2000s. Since August 10, the former Bordeaux defender has returned to the Haillan sports area.

Not the changing rooms of this one but the castle and its offices this time.

He is the new sports director of the Navy and White.

A hell of a task when you know a little about the context around the club in recent months.

In the stands as well as in the field.

And with the bonus, a club undergoing austerity cure.

If he is not necessarily very busy with a transfer window "sluggish" as he says, the new boss of the sportsman has been chaining the talks for a month to try to restart the Girondins not far from the implosion in the middle of the summer.

For

20 Minutes,

looks

back on those first weeks in his new costume.

How did you feel when you were appointed?

Lots of nostalgia!

Many memories came back.

I remembered the roads I took by car at the time because my parents still live there.

It's especially good to arrive in a club that you know.

I recognized faces very quickly.

Afterwards, it was quickly necessary to move on because it is a big challenge today to live up to expectations.

In what state do you consider the club a little over a month after your arrival?

I find it healthy despite what has been said.

After that, there are readjustments to be made, we have already started to make some in particular on training, people have left.

Raphaël Fèvre (former physical trainer including PSG, Valenciennes, Brest or Bastia) arrived to take care of physical preparation.

Patrick Battiston resumed his role as director of the center.

There are things to rearrange.

We have to put a little rigor back and give back “power” to people.

Everyone should not also do what he wants in his corner ... But it was not an abandoned club (smiles) despite everything that has been said.

Managers, coaches, players… Where are the Girondins de Bordeaux?

https://t.co/Ina79rzAA5

- 20 Minutes (@ 20Minutes) August 21, 2020

Do we need to bring back a little cohesion?

Yes, I believe that is the correct word.

We must restore cohesion, make people want to work together.

To restore unity, solidarity between people.

Restoring goals, but it's not easy.

It takes time for that.

What is your priority today?

The professional team.

It is the locomotive of the club.

That's what people watch, what the public sees… We have to have a balanced team with good results.

For now, we are quite satisfied.

There is also what goes on below (the training center), that does not interest many people but it is very important for us because it is the future and the future, it is being prepared.

What is your first sporting assessment?

I don't really like to speak for Jean-Louis (Gasset) because everyone has to be in their role.

What I note is the impeccable state of mind of the players at the moment.

Everything we see in training translates into games.

A determination, a desire to do well.

Of course, there are gaps.

We would much like to master our subject technically.

But everyone should be happy with the state of mind.

Player buy-in is there.

It's primordial.

Alain Roche with Jean-Louis Gasset, the Girondins coach.

- Mehdi Fedouach / AFP

Where are you with the supporters ...

Sorry but I am not the one managing this file.

Me, I really only take care of the athlete.

We would like it to be more appeased for the good of everyone.

We prefer encouragement in the stadium for the team.

What are your goals for the end of the transfer window?

We have sales objectives that we will try to achieve but it is really not easy in this period.

10 millions ?

It's money, I can't tell you more.

The problem is that the market is completely sluggish apart from two or three clubs which move like Chelsea.

Transfers are low, there is little movement.

There will surely be a lot of loans in the last days.

Where are you on the possible departure of young Croatian midfielder Toma Basic?

He wants to move like any ambitious player.

We are not closed to that but everyone has to find their way around.

Him like us.

For now, we still have nothing on the table but there are three weeks left.

Are you counting on Nigerian striker Samuel Kalu this season?

Of course !

Kalu has a rare profile in the workforce, he hits, he provokes ... So for tactical choices, he does not play every game but we count on him and we hope to keep him.

Will Alexandre Mendy join Caen?

There is an interest on their part for the player.

We are waiting to know what proposal will be made but hey, Alexandre Mendy has him wanting to leave so I get used to the idea that he will leave.

I don't know yet if he'll be free, we'll see.

In any case, nobody else asked us to leave and then you know, the players ask to leave when they have a solution and then when you see the market, it's very complicated.

Bordeaux-Lyon: How Jean-Louis Gasset put his paw on the Girondins https://t.co/ZAsxqDSh3F via @ 20minutesBord pic.twitter.com/KbuohOKDL3

- 20minutesbordeaux (@ 20minutesbord) September 11, 2020

On the many players at the end of their contract in 2021 (Pablo, De Préville, Sabaly, Poundjé, Jovanovic, Baysse)… No progress?

We haven't positioned ourselves yet.

It is too early.

We played three games.

We will soon do a first assessment but for now, we have asked no one to leave.

There is no rush to be had.

Are you hoping for one or two recruits?

You know it is enough to look at all the clubs in Europe to realize that everyone is downsizing with the uncertainties linked to Covid-19 and the shortfall in ticketing, sponsorship, partnerships ... Me, I do not have never seen such a stalled transfer market.

It's the first time.

You also have to remember to keep a lot of players because if tomorrow you have 4-5 players affected by the virus, you still have to be able to field a competitive team in a match.

Your priority is still to find a midfielder to support Otavio?

Already, we have feedback from Zerkane and Adli, that's good news.

But it is true that players of the profile of Otavio, there are not really.

We look at what is happening but if we can not, we will stay with this squad which is rather consistent on what it shows over the first three games.

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