Raymond Domenech.
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LOIC VENANCE / AFP
Since his arrival in Nantes ten days ago, Raymond Domenech seems unperturbed, especially at a press conference.
For the moment, he is very much in the dialogue and pedagogy with his group.
The former coach has already established contact with training and wants to establish a bridge between the pros and the youngsters of the center.
This Wednesday, December 30, day of resumption of the Canaries, Raymond Domenech (69 years soon), newly appointed coach of FC Nantes, barely put a spike on the training ground of Jonelière that he is already decked out with a inglorious qualifier.
“The Kita Circus is obviously its puppet show.
A 17th has just arrived at the FCN, the 17th in thirteen years, spits the sound of some mocking supporters of the Nantes club.
Raymond Domenech will explain his vision of football to us, enough to make us laugh for the next weekends at Kita Circus.
»What could be more normal at the same time for a native of Lyon, the town of Guignol.
That morning, Raymond Domenech did not raise an eyebrow.
He pretends not to hear the better to distribute his initial instructions and recommendations to his group.
Welcome to Nantes.
"He has seen others, believe me," laughs one of his relatives, alluding to the Knysna cataclysm.
Like this scene of the first training, the technician has been inhabited by an almost mystical calm since his arrival.
Not a word higher than the other in the media presentation press conference he faced alone, without any member of management.
Same zen at the other two media meetings, before Rennes (0-0), Monday, then just after the derby Wednesday evening, in front of a press room which is always full.
"I've been on the other side, I know what it is…"
"You have all the freedom to write that," he replies, smiling at a colleague who points out to him that 0-0 is a score stamped Domenech.
Everyone writes what they want.
"Before each time recalling his role as a consultant at The L'Equipe channel which he occupied before his arrival:" I was on the other side, I know what it is ... "Domenech masters his communication.
Drown the fish like no other when a question bothers him.
Some see it as an acting game, an additional farce in the land of Waldemar Kita.
Others believe in his sincerity when he admits that he put the tracksuit back on to smell the lawns again.
"He is happy as a kid," says one of his relatives.
"He loves football and he really missed it," says another.
As with each arrival of a technician, the players seem charmed by the new method.
“He talks to us a lot, he tells us exactly what he wants at each position and how we must attack and defend, judged defender Sébastien Corchia after the sad Breton derby (0-0).
It helps us a lot.
»Facade speech only?
No.
"He is really in the dialogue, he explains things a lot", we confess in the entourage of the players.
At the same time, it succeeds an “oyster”, to use the term of someone close to the locker room in reference to the minimalist communication of Christian Gourcuff.
If he did not carry out individual interviews, the ex-coach multiplies informal one-on-one.
Earlier this week, Domenech even explained that he wanted to set up a sort of council of the wise "so that there is a real exchange and that the players are not afraid to say what they think".
Pallois, Blas, Touré, Louza and Abeid should compose this small committee.
He went to talk to the players of the reserve
Saturday morning, the new Nantes coach (with his assistant Robert Duverne) made a first contact with the training center in the form of an informal meeting with Samuel Fenillat, director of the training center, and Stéphane Ziani, coach of the U 19 Domenech hammered that his door was still open.
Tuesday, accompanied by Philippe Mao, the sports coordinator, he joined the word to action by going to the meeting of the reserve team (N2) to introduce himself and affirm his desire to install a bridge between training and the pros .
This link between the two sectors had been severed under Christian Gourcuff, angry with certain trainers, and Vahid Halilhodzic, who had however shortly after his arrival also advocated his attachment to training to educators.
Our file on FC Nantes
"I move forward day after day and I act as if I had to last ten years in the club ...", indicated earlier this week Raymond Domenech, whose lease extends until June.
His collaboration with President Kita, the only one favorable to his arrival at the start, is just beginning.
It could quickly be put to the test with the January transfer window, which is still in its infancy.
A market that has often been a source of conflict between Kita and her coaches for thirteen years.
"Raymond is warned", we hear in his entourage.
Others were also before him.
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