At Matmut Atlantic,
This is perhaps the biggest problem for the Girondins de Bordeaux this season: not seeing the truth in the face. Act as if nothing had happened, until the end. As if David Guion’s players were not 19th in Ligue 1, four points from the play-off and five from the first non-relegation player, five days from the end of the championship. As if they weren’t heading straight for Ligue 2 after their new draw at home this Wednesday against Saint-Etienne (2-2), when they were leading 2-0 after 23 minutes of play thanks to Mara and Onana.
No nothing. Really nothing. Not a little anger. Not even a word higher than the other story of showing a little character, of pride for the only two “authorized” to speak: David Guion and the young Sékou Mara, sent to the front from the top of his 19 years. Finally, there is only one who seems aware of the situation, it is Gérard Lopez. We can blame the Bordeaux president for many things, but not for having tried to shake the coconut tree several times during the season. But nothing helps and he himself may have already abdicated in recent weeks… As if he was already preparing the sequel.
Guion’s nerve on the calendar
You should have seen at a press conference the difference in attitude between a living Pascal Dupraz and a dead David Guion. So yes, everyone has their own character, but still. As the first would say, “football in a tutu isn’t great” and even less so when you play for maintenance like Bordeaux and Saint-Etienne. No, you have to go there with tightly screwed crampons. And especially to have a driving trainer. In this little game, there was ultimately no change between Vladimir Petkovic and his successor, David Guion.
This Wednesday, the Bordeaux coach once again chained post-match banalities. Not even a little criticism for his players? No. He even went further in this completely above-ground side, allowing himself to affirm that the Girondins calendar was “more affordable” than that of ASSE. He has the right to think so (and still does), but to say it when you are at the head of a team that has five wins after 33 games is a bit much of a coffee. Very strong, even.
We know some coaches who would display the coach of the Marine et Blancs in their locker room before finding the Girondins. In short, between Mbaye Niang’s “I’m not worried” at half-time between Bordeaux and Lyon on Sunday and “the most important thing is that we didn’t lose this match” by Sékou Mara on Wednesday, the planet Mars is not very far away.
The Costil case, the perfect illustration of this unconsciousness
This disconnection from the reality of the moment is also illustrated today by the management of goalkeepers. The Girondins have preferred for several weeks now to deprive themselves of their French international goalkeeper, Benoit Costil, due to a conflict with certain supporters to align in his place, his young replacement, Gaëtan Poussin, who has been making mistakes for two games. The problem is not the latter, which the club has also put in a complicated situation to manage, but that of depriving itself of a player of great experience, respected by his teammates and of recognized talent during his career. As if the Girondins were somehow trying to scuttle themselves.
This management tears the supporters of the Girondins de Bordeaux today, and even Julien Courbet went there from his little tweet after the meeting: “The management of the Costil case will be very very expensive”. Asked again about this choice, David Guion raised his voice a little (the only time during his press conference): “If it is my choice? Yes, I told you that from the start. These are sporting choices, it’s a sporting choice as it is a sporting choice for the 11 positions. I make sporting choices, you can see that. I have competition in almost every position, both striker, midfielder, defender and goalkeeper. These are sporting choices on my part, and I fully assume these choices. It’s my choice “. He has the right to say it and we have the right not to believe it. The club’s management bought social peace by sending Benoit Costil to the bench, will it finally backtrack?
Applause that questions
Finally, there is this applause at the end of the match. Applause from the South turn which irritates more and more Bordeaux supporters. As if there was nothing wrong with the performance of this Gironde team, unable to maintain a two-goal lead in the most important match of the season. So, yes, a real supporter is there in good times and in bad times, but “there are still limits” reminds one of them, disillusioned, at the final whistle in the passageway of the Matmut Atlantique. Member of the Ultramarines for years, “he does not understand today this applause for these players who are unworthy of our jersey”.
“We are 19th in Ligue 1, we are even already in Ligue 2 for me and I have the impression that it does not bother anyone, plague Maxime. There are two explanations: either we don’t realize what is happening, or we have already accepted it, but it would be very serious. “This attitude in any case raises questions because, in addition, the only time the Virage Sud shouted its anger after the Montpellier match, there were some effects: a draw at 10 against 11 against Lille and a victory against Metz.