At the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium,
By discovering this Saturday upon waking up, in The team, that the big favorite to succeed Claude Puel is none other than Pascal Dupraz, could the Stéphanois ultras regret having focused their first fight the day before on the change of “master on board”? On this subject,
the press release Friday bringing together the Magic Fans, the Green Angels and the separatists from Saint-Etienne, charges Claude Puel in a very clear way: “We leave you no other choice than to pack your bags, and this without negotiating a single cent. compensation. After the stinging defeat [5-1] in Strasbourg, you said you needed the supporters. We need you to clear it, and fast. Without this, we will not resume the animation of our stands. “
The Cauldron kops kept their word throughout this (very) high tension match against Angers (2-2), roaring just a little in the face of the scenario of an unexpected comeback orchestrated by Wahbi Khazri, new “darling” of the supporters ( 1-2, 61st), and Mickaël Nadé (2-2, 90th + 4), before throwing yet another bronca at the final whistle. In view of the determination of some ultras to burn the nets of Stefan Bajic’s goal, which delayed the match by an hour, a question comes to mind: Claude Puel (surrounded by dozens of CRS at kick-off ) can he still resist all this?
Undoubtedly the image of the season in Sainté #ASSEASCO pic.twitter.com/ClQ6UVpsJZ
– Antoine CHIRAT (@chiratantoine) October 22, 2021
From May 2011 in Gerland to October 2021 in the Chaudron
At 60 km from Saint-Etienne, we remember that he tried to fight to the end, ten years ago, faced with a rejection (at least) as important of the turns, and concluded by insulting tags and threatening to his home, on the sidelines of an OL-Caen as the ultimate symbol of hostility. At 60 years old and seven months from the end of his contract with ASSE, is he really ready to relive it all?
When he appeared at a post-match press conference, shortly before 1 a.m., the Greens coach showed that he definitely had resources, even if it meant being overly positive which constituted a new match. very average in his group, 20th in Ligue 1 and unable to secure a single victory in 11 days.
“We stifled this Angers team. We were in the process of achieving a great performance and we were again punished on a set piece, against the course of the game. I repeat: there is potential in this team. Of course, you have to get out of that area. We will do it little by little. “
The players did not let go this time at 0-2
Not sure that the kops, or even the leaders, do not see this draw snatched in extremis against Angers under this prism, even if the players clearly did not let go at 0-2, unlike the rout suffered in Strasbourg five days earlier. The surprising choice to start at the forefront of the former Epinal scorer (National) Jean-Philippe Krasso (0 goal in 14 appearances in Ligue 1 in career), for a meeting promising to be so hot, is not all the same not likely to support its balance sheet.
Relaunched by the press on his ability to stand firm against the sling of the Stéphanoises stands, Claude Puel delivered substantially the same response as the day before, when the same kops had come to the L’Etrat training center to drop a threatening banner ( “Puel: we give you 24 hours to resign”). One thing seems certain: he will not resign.
Towards new closed doors galore in Sainté?
“I do not have to go into these considerations, he believes. I’m here to stay close to my players and focus on the green rectangle. It is up to the leaders to manage the environment. It is therefore necessary to understand between the lines that a clarification of his situation, by Roland Romeyer and / or Bernard Caïazzo, would not be to his liking too much, whereas he currently crystallizes the animosity of the Cauldron.
In this regard, Claude Puel should be quiet for a little while, potentially until the Christmas break (there are four home games remaining in 2021, including the reception of PSG on November 28), as we suspect that there are will have a disciplinary sanction again exemplary for this public which collects the closed doors for long seasons.