“Take note of the people who are skeptical today and see you in a year.” To defend Jocelyn Gourvennec, Patrick Rampillon, do not bother with precautions. The former director of the Rennes training center has remained close to the Breton, whom he brought to the Rouge et Noir when he was 17 years old. And he is full of praise for the one who was welcomed freshly by Lille supporters skeptical of the pedigree of Christophe Galtier’s successor at Losc. “It’s a choice that surprised a lot of people but Jocelyn still has some nice lines to write on his CV” promises Rampillon.
If he does not land in conquered land in the North, Gourvennec However, he left more good memories than disappointments in a coaching career that began in 2008 with fans of La Roche-sur-Yon (DH). After two years in Vendée, the young coach takes charge of Guingamp where he will achieve miracles by passing in five years from the National to the Europa League with the climax.
a victory in the Coupe de France 2014 against the Rennes neighbor. Scorer in the final, Jonathan Martins-Pereira remembers those great years.
Fine tactician and measured man
“Jocelyn Gourvennec is a fine tactician and he is at the top level in terms of human management. If we managed to do things like that with Guingamp, it’s because we were tactically ready. He got the best of the group with the qualities of each. This is what allowed Guingamp to overthrow mountains, ”said the former defender.
A hard worker, 4-4-2 enthusiast, Gourvennec is also a measured person. Under his orders for three years at Guingamp (2010-2013), Charly charrier appreciated his group management. “He is a very simple person and easy going on a daily basis. He is very intelligent in his management. He never puts anyone aside in the cellar. He is able to tell you things face to face. Emotionally, when you are a coach, you have adrenaline rushes but I have never seen him get very angry, ”remembers the 35-year-old midfielder who plays today at La Roche-sur-Yon.
Curious about everything
For all the witnesses interviewed, Gourvennec seems to be above all a normal man in a world of mad people. “There are twists in the world of football but Jocelyn Gourvennec is not one of them. He is one of the best coaches that I have been around and I have met a number of them, ”insists Martins-Pereira.
English rock fan (Morrissey, The Smiths, Pixies, Arctic Monkeys, Placebo…), also able to reconcile Staps studies and pro football at the start of his career, Gourvennec denotes a bit of a fairly conservative environment. Curious about everything, the Breton took advantage of his last two sabbaticals by passing
a manager’s diploma at CDES LimogesWhile being a consultant for Canal +.
“He never stays inactive. In his period as a consultant, he continued to enrich himself, to obtain diplomas. He took his time in this career as a technician. It’s structured, it’s wired, ”recognizes Charly Charrier. Moreover, rather than jumping on the first bench, he preferred to leave time to move upmarket in his future club. “I’m sure he had plenty of suggestions but he chose to be patient. He wanted to take a step back to analyze and take another step, ”analyzes Patrick Rampillon.
🗨 Just named new LOSC coach, Jocelyn Gourvennec gave us his first impressions.
Look 🔽 pic.twitter.com/J6nCIVqcRc
– LOSC (@losclive) July 5, 2021
A game that is sometimes too careful
But in this concert of praise, there are also some wrong notes. In the game, Gourvennec’s teams did not always raise the crowds as Martins Pereira recognizes. “He is so demanding that he allows very few fantasies. When you get out of the box, it’s a bit complicated. In Guingamp, he could tell us: “today, we are not going to be beautiful, but we are going to win 1-0”. And that’s what was happening. But it was very beneficial for us ”. And then, there is this observation of failure that has stuck to the skin of the coach for three years.
In vogue and very popular on the French market after his exploits in Guingamp, Gourvennec has come back down from his pedestal in Bordeaux. After a good first season ended in 6th place in 2017, the former player must return his apron in January 2018 after a series of poor results. He also tries to bounce back at Guingamp but he cannot avoid the relegation of the club in May 2019 despite a League Cup final lost against Strasbourg. Failures on which the new Lille technician returned on Wednesday.
Expected to rebound after two failures
“Reynald Denoueix once told me that the best coach is the one who makes the least mistakes. When you are a coach, you make mistakes, you make mistakes and these mistakes make you improve and move forward. I made mistakes of course, but all the coaches make them. The trick is to be lucid, to analyze them so as not to commit them tomorrow. This experience will serve me well. There are always times of euphoria and times of difficulty. In both cases it is necessary to remain fairly constant. In euphoria we can do stupid things, and in failure, we must not feel too guilty. “
A sense of measure that Gourvennec should demonstrate once again in Lille while still hoping that the euphoria quickly regains the upper hand over the failure.