Pau
Niort
We don’t really know how the 2022-2023 season, rescue or descent, will end for the Chamois Niortais, but at least the vintage will have been tasty in twists and turns! Untimely withdrawal of Desabre from the start, interim Dona N’Doh separation with Rui Almeida, new transition with Tchomogo. A real soap opera.
And then, now, comes the time of Bernard Simondi, 70 years old at the end of the cherries, a rich past as a player who will have crossed crampons on his foot at least the Parizon, Zvunka, Buigues or Rust (former emblematic coaches of Niort ). All this, with a CV as a coach of clubs and national selections from the Maghreb, black Africa or the Middle East as thick as a paper directory of the XXe century.
He will be the new boss
“The will of the club, explained this Friday March 10 Mikaël Hanouna in a presentation session, was not to change what had been done until now, it was to add a person who might take a little height compared to what we do in our matches and on a daily basis, who has peripheral vision, comprehensive and expanded. With enough experience to bring us some corrections on the small details that we miss to succeed in our maintenance objective. »
Mikaël Hanouna is a good speaker, but also knows how to count on the mathematical side. The five games led by the Beninese Oumar Tchomogo (who was formerly led by Simondi in Grenoble and then in the selection of Benin), punctuated by two victories and three defeats, brought an average of 1.2 points to the Niortais.
“If we want to add one more person to the staff, he continues, we remain happy with what Oumar Tchomogo is doing, who is doing a good job. He took six points in five games, we would maintain this average in good conditions… ”
And then, since we are at the multiplication stage, you should know that maintaining the situation as it is (Bernard has the diplomas, Oumar does not) would have cost a fine of €150,000 for the twelve matches. (€12,500 each) remaining to be played. Hardly tenable.
On the bench in Pau
Very familiar with African footballers who make up a good part of the Niort workforce, Bernard Simondi (first until the end of the season) accepts the challenge with a good heart in a multi-headed staff. “From there, we can call it whatever we want, slip Hanouna, general manager, technical director or head coach. It’s the same thing. The challenge is that he has the stature, the vision, the experience. »
The interested party, who is implicitly asked for an immediate contribution, has observed things, the first training sessions, seen a lot of matches, and will be on the bench in Pau alongside Oumar. Moving suddenly from Libya to the hexagonal L2. “I have already been on French benches like in Toulon with Onnis and Courbis, I know that, begins Bernard Simondi. The complicity that I can have with Oumar is not negligible. The deadlines are there, with the requirement for high-speed results. We will move forward faster, with a lot of respect, thanks to the exchange, understanding, and complementarity that are already in place. »
Simondi is called, it is clear, to oversee the organization, and to give direction. ” However, takes over the new head coach, we are not there in the process of distributing the functions, we simply want to move forward together on the same objective, which is the final result, namely maintaining in the second division. »
And to perpetuate the place in L2, the new strong man from Niort thinks that there is room to pass: “Our agreement with Niort is not of simple necessity, I think above all that there are here the means to get out of this situation. The players have a technical quality and game animation worthy of seeking maintenance. »
An impression of good quality, which must nevertheless immediately pass to the Pau revealer. And that…
This Saturday, March 11 at 7 p.m.
