The Lille coach led his team to a good qualification in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
A magnificent performance after the first very complicated months.
Sometimes fate has fun giving you obvious signs.
It is therefore in Germany, the country where his mother grew up, that Jocelyn Gourvennec undoubtedly changed the course of his history with Losc.
"It's a nice wink", wished to underline with a smile the coach of Losc after the great victory of his team Wednesday night in Wolfsburg (1-3).
By winning in the city of Volkswagen, Lille landed its ticket for the knockout stages of the Champions League, fifteen years after its only participation in the European top 16.
A huge and historic performance crowned with the first place of the group.
“It's a very important moment in the history of the club.
We are proud of that, to offer the public, volunteers and employees a round of 16 in the Champions League with a return home ”, appreciates the northern technician
Welcomed with the greatest skepticism
Even if Jocelyn Gourvennec must still be pinching himself very hard to believe in it by looking back a few months back. By disembarking in early July to everyone's surprise on the Losc bench, the Breton technician probably did not expect such a cold welcome from the supporters. Intoxicated by the title of champion, Losc fans had not appreciated seeing their idol Christophe Galtier being replaced by a name without a big track record and without a club for two years.
Considered a downgrading, the arrival of Gourvennec was greeted at best by great skepticism, at worst by petitions already demanding his departure barely his bag posed to Luchin.
“I found it very hard and very unfair.
I had the feeling of being condemned barely after having signed ”had also recognized the northerner coach a few weeks later.
This icy welcome will not even have been warmed by the first trophy of champions in the history of the club won in early August against PSG.
Because the start of the season in Ligue 1 will quickly look like a nightmare.
For his first match with Pierre Mauroy, the Losc explodes (0-4) against the Nice of a certain Christophe Galtier, his predecessor.
And Lille does not reassure either in the game where sluggish performance accumulates.
"Gourvennec resignation"
On October 23, after a draw against Brest, part of the Pierre Mauroy stadium even sang “Gourvennec resignation”, less than three months after his arrival. Obviously difficult to digest but the coach, appreciated by his group, says nothing and takes refuge in the job. “You are always criticized when you are a coach. I signed on July 5 and since then I have been in my bubble. I'm not saying anything and I'm doing my job with strength and conviction, ”the Lille coach reacted on Wednesday evening.
The click will eventually come in early November with a victory in Seville (1-2) which will totally revive the club in the Champions League and finally give credit to a coach criticized for his late replacements and his hesitant tactics.
Since the Sevillian night, Lille is looking up and Gourvennec too.
Qualified in the round of 16 of the Champions League to everyone's surprise and relaunched in Ligue 1 with a series of five games without defeat, Lille is gradually returning to its standards of last year.
"We mark the history of the club"
“I have the ambition to allow Lille to progress after its title of champion.
Here we are, we are making the history of the club.
I will continue to do my job by fighting every day.
I come from a region where we know what it is to fight and I arrive in another where we also know it, ”says Gourvennec.
If it continues at this pace, the North will end up adopting it after having first rejected it.
The proof that being welcome at the Ch'tis is not always easy, no offense to certain clichés.
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Wolfsburg-Losc: Lille knew it was impossible so they did it ... Relive the Losc qualifier in the knockout stages of the Champions League
League 1
Jocelyn Gourvennec
LOSC
Lille
Champions League
Soccer
Sport
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