YB Coach Joël Magnin: A New Chapter Begins
Ah, Thursday afternoon brought not just sunshine but a refreshing breeze of hope for the Young Boys. Yes folks, Joël Magnin is back at the helm, and trust me, if anyone can whip a ragtag bunch of champions into shape, it’s him — provided, of course, he doesn’t fall asleep on the job like half the team did last season!
Back to the Bottom: From Champions to Chumps
Let’s just take a moment to appreciate the dramatic irony here: the Young Boys, revered champions, now occupy the prestigious bottom spot of the league table. Talk about going from lifting the trophy to… digging for treasure in the cellar!
With a single win out of nine matches and a handful of red cards (just to spice things up), the team is, quite frankly, heartbreaking theatre. One might say the only standing ovation they’re getting is from the fans’ incredulously raised eyebrows. The previous coach, Patrick Frame, apparently was not given a “You’re doing great!” cookie, resulting in his swift exit. It seems in football, like in life, you can’t lose more than you win without repercussions — who knew?
Magnin’s Mission: Confidence and Discipline
Now, enter Magnin — the man with a plan! Famously known for leading the team to its championship glory before, he’s tasked with a different mission this time around. This isn’t just about winning; it’s about self-confidence and discipline. This is the part where we all collectively nod our heads, pretending we know what ‘discipline’ means after 4 glasses of wine.
His approach to handling discipline is fascinating: instead of monetary punishment (because, let’s be real, a fine doesn’t mend broken hearts), Magnin plans to let errant players lead a training session for the U12 juniors. Imagine a seasoned pro trying to teach young hopefuls after his own shortcomings. Now that’s a Steve Carell moment waiting to happen!
A Climb Upwards?
“How do I know it can’t get worse?” Magnin quipped with a grin. Ah, the optimism! The man is a glimmer of sunshine. He recognizes that most of this battle is “mental,” which, let’s face it, is the hardest battle of all — convincing a group of grown-ups that they can actually win a game of football.
Magnin’s Game Plan for Saturday
Speaking of the upcoming clash against Lucerne, Magnin highlights that they’ve got their act together with strong continuity. It’s almost like saying, “We might be a hot mess, but have you seen their pantry? They’ve meal-prepped their way to the top!”
And, finally, the question on every fan’s lips: What about the recently injured captain, Loris Benito? Well, if the training goes well, we might just see him strutting his stuff like it’s a fashion show — because what’s a football match without a bit of flair?
Sweeping Up the Team’s Mess
In signing off, it’s clear that Magnin has daunting challenges ahead. Climbing out of the cellar is never easy, but with a mix of discipline, humor, and maybe a few well-timed motivational speeches, there’s a flicker of hope for the Young Boys. They might just rise from the ashes like a phoenix… or at least like a slightly damp, struggling bird, which is a start!
Readers Respond
What do you think? Will Magnin manage to whip the Young Boys back into shape, or should we look for more red cards to go with our “celebration” drinks?
Attentive listeners: On Thursday afternoon, YB interim coach Joël Magnin (center) led his first training session with the entire team
Keystone
Before returning to the dugout, interim coach Joël Magnin explains how he wants to get the champions Young Boys away from the bottom of the table. He wants to start with self-confidence and discipline.
After just one win from nine games – and four red cards – YB is in last place as the worst champions in Europe. That cost Patrick Frame his coaching job. With Joël Magnin, the man who also led the team to the championship title on an interim basis last spring is returning – under completely different circumstances.
The 53-year-old from Neuchâtel had his first serious fight on Saturday against the leader Lucerne, who had twelve points more. Before training on Thursday afternoon, Magnin spoke to the media about his ideas.
Magnin about…
Sleepless nights:
“The telephone inquiry on Monday (October 7th, after the 0-1 defeat in Basel) came as a surprise. I then had to get approval from my family. My wife said: ‘You can decide how you want.’ Last time I often slept poorly and was absent from the family table. Now it’s a different situation, but a similar constellation. Three months to get the team back on track. But I’m more experienced and sleep better.”
Lack of discipline:
“We naturally question every area in which things are not going as they should. Discipline is certainly a point I want to address. I expect this will improve. I’ve worked on something that the team doesn’t know about yet. What I can say, the punishment won’t be with money. I have the feeling that certain players are doing very well these days and a fine doesn’t necessarily have a learning effect. You have to find other approaches to punishment. One measure will be that an offending player will have to lead a training session for the U12 juniors in Neufeld. This also gives something back to the club.”
Ways out of the table cellar:
“When I look at the table, at least it can’t get any worse. (Smiles) Last time I took over first. I am convinced that we can do it and climb to the top. Otherwise I wouldn’t have taken the job. Like last time, a lot of it is mental, that the players believe in themselves again and get their optimism back. We want to take things step by step and start on Saturday. As a YB coach it is clear that the team has to win. The first step is to get out of this situation, we don’t need to talk about further goals now.”
Zubi on frame dismissal: “The YB DNA is gone”
About the condition of the team:
“I only met the whole team for the first time today (Thursday afternoon), there were only ten or twelve players in training. The first question is always: ‘How are you?’ Most people say ‘Good, thank you’. You have to look deep into their eyes to find out the truth and ask: ‘How are you really? What do you need? What are your next steps?’ My job is to get the most out of everyone. And one advantage is that I already know many of them.”
His time horizon:
“It is agreed that I will do this until December, at the end of the preliminary round. At the moment I’m concentrating on Saturday. Even as a player, I didn’t plan what would happen in six months. I’ll definitely work and give it my all. Then we’ll see, but I have a contract as a U21 coach. You never know what will happen in life. What I know for sure: I am convinced that I am currently at the best club in Switzerland in terms of structure and organization.
The game on Saturday against Lucerne:
«Luzern has continuity and has always worked with boys. It’s no coincidence that they are there. They have done their homework. Lucerne has one or two good players, but it is strong mainly thanks to its unity and mentality.”
The most recently injured Captain Loris Benito:
“He trained 100 percent on Tuesday and Wednesday and made a good impression. If I had the feeling that he wasn’t 100 percent fit, I would let others go. The decision will always be in the service of the team.”
Wegmann: “Frame is a pawn sacrifice”
ck, sda