Goalkeeper and captain of a Servette FC which is running at full speed (2nd in the championship), Jeremy Frick returns for RTSsport to the start of the season for his family and talks about his own career as well as his return to his best level. Instructive.
Frank handshake, smile permanently etched on his face and intelligent words: Jeremy Frick (29) is certainly going through a very good pass, like Servette FC of which he is the valiant and successful captain. At the end of the truce of the national teams and before a trip to Lugano on Sunday (4.30 p.m.), the last rampart of Geneva logically savors this good moment, appreciates seeing his group show another face, but nevertheless refuses to ignite. Aware that nothing is certain, the child of Collex-Bossy constantly wants to put the work back on the job. This requirement, cultivated in particular during his years of training at Olympique Lyonnais, is his strength. The proof: he was able to recover from a very average last season and shines today. He is today “Quiet, Frickouz”, as Micha Stevanovic says.
“Quiet Frickouz”, launches Micha Stevanovic to the address of his goalkeeper.
RTSsport.ch: Jeremy Frick, the SFC has had a brilliant start to the season, and so has yours. However, you personally came out of a less convincing exercise…
JEREMY FRICK: It’s true, but I was able to question myself and I owe my current success above all to the Servettian collective. The fact that the team is running well allows each of us to do better. We rarely see a goalkeeper excel in a very weak team. This is something inherent in our position, where things sometimes go in waves. Take the example of Yannick Brecher (ndlr: FC Zurich)! Last season he was monstrous and now it seems more complicated for him, when he hasn’t changed; he remains an excellent goalkeeper. It’s just that Zurich is not doing well. In the upper echelons, we could also cite as an example Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), long decried and who ended up winning the Champions League almost all by himself in the company of Karim Benzema.
RTSsport.ch: Without wanting to draw crude parallels, the success that accompanies the SFC at the start of the season is somewhat reminiscent of that of the FCZ last season…
JEREMY FRICK: Maybe, but I’m more inclined to think this season is like the one after our promotion (note: 2019/2020), when we often scored at the end of the match, sometimes even goals from elsewhere. At the time, we entered the season in a very good way, notably with a draw in Bern, like this time with our 1-0 victory over Saint-Gall. There, we were coming out of a frustrating spring, which had given a feeling of being freewheeling, when in my opinion we made good matches, but we lost them… At that time, however, I always had repeated that when the wheel would turn, it would be a whole different story. This is the case today!
I had always said that when the wheel would turn, it would be a whole different story. This is the case today!
![Servette FC goalkeeper Jeremy Frick. [Keystone]](https://www.rts.ch/2022/09/25/15/06/13412815.image?w=320&h=320)
RTSsport.ch: Servette precisely gives off the impression that a real state of mind has set in, which apparently never really was the case last season, at least in the second part of the exercise…
JEREMY FRICK: One could say that this beautiful cohesion is helped by the positive results, which would not be false, but there is indeed something else currently. Since the very beginning of the summer preparation, I have the feeling that everyone is more involved in what they do and that changes everything. Some have decided to “put” more than in the past and, thus, everyone wins. We find ourselves in fact with real competition, which pulls everyone up. In addition, this season we have young people who want it, with what is more a 2nd team that is running wonderfully, which offers an even more positive dynamic. From the youngest to the oldest, everyone brings something to our group, which allows Servette to have the wind at her back.
RTSsport.ch: Speaking of old, you are one, despite your 29 years. And captain now since January. Did this armband change things for you?
JEREMY FRICK: He forced me to take more responsibility, especially when things aren’t going well within the team. But deep down I’ve always taken on a leadership role here. Because I’m from home and I’ve had different experiences from some of my comrades, especially going abroad early or going through more complicated passages in my career. (note: administrative relegation of Servette in 2015, bankruptcy of Biel in 2016, read box). It’s clear that when the band is performing well, it’s super easy to be captain. But last season, in the more critical moments that we experienced, I felt that I had to take my responsibilities, go to the fire… That said, it’s in my character and it’s, I think , also what I have the armband for.
It’s clear that when the band is touring, it’s super easy to be captain. But last season, with the more critical moments that we experienced, I felt that I had to take my responsibilities.
RTSsport.ch: This armband, you recovered it from the arm of your friend Anthony Sauthier, who left the club in January…
JEREMY FRICK: Yes, and I did not expect it to happen like this! Frankly, if one day I had thought of inheriting the captaincy, it would never have been this way… It was very hard for me to see my friend “Nini” leave, because all my best Servettian memories, I have them shared with him. But I had to go beyond to fulfill my role. Anthony remains a friend and we still see each other often. Now, I think he’s happy to see that it’s me who succeeded him, as he himself had taken over from Tibert Pont, another friend at the time. The story that continues with Geneva captains is pretty cool.
RTSsport.ch: Some supporters are worried that the truce may have slowed the momentum of the SFC. Can this forced break do you a disservice?
JEREMY FRICK: For us, it does not change much, especially since we entered it with a real team victory acquired in the Swiss Cup (note: 2-0 at La Chaux-de-Fonds), which is great for confidence. Yes, maybe it would have been nice to be able to segue, but on second thought, I think we all needed this truce; there was a bit of physical fatigue and the break allows us to regenerate mentally. In addition, it allows us to draw an initial assessment, to see what has worked and above all what hasn’t worked so far, because not everything has been perfect… When we go from one match to another, it’s indeed complicated to keep a cool head and to analyze everything well. With this break, we had less of our nose to the grindstone and we were able to see what we need to improve. Now, we are looking forward to resuming on Sunday in Lugano, even if there are always “busting” matches there.
Arnaud Cerutti – @arnaud_cerutti