2023-09-17 08:00:00
An ex-pro who coaches a local amateur club always gets people talking. Even more so when the boy played at Gym (from 2013 to 2015) and his father, Claude, is a renowned coach, who was at the head of the Aiglons (from 2012 to 2016) and AS Monaco (from 1999 to 2001).
After a final season as a player at VSJB (N3) in 2021/22 and a break from football, Grégoire Puel has rediscovered a taste for passion for football. He now wants to flourish as a coach. And it was at US Cap-d’Ail, where it was necessary to rebuild following relegation from Regional 2, that he chose to show off his first stripes.
Grégoire, how were contacts established with US Cap-d’Ail?
Last season, I was preparing for the first year of the DUGOS (university diploma in sports organization management, editor’s note) with AS Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and I also wanted to get my football coaching diploma (BEF). For this, I had to train a team of at least R2 or D1. I thought of Cap-d’Ail because the coach (Patrick Calzoni) had already announced his departure and, when I was younger, I had worn the club’s colors. So I contacted Joël Delalande, the president, who made me a proposal and I accepted it. My season will be busy with the team to manage, the 2nd year of DUGOS that I am doing with the USCA and the BEF. I will have two submissions to submit.
My father gives me advice
Why become a coach?
After my experience as a player at VSJB (2021/22 in National 3), I took a break from football for a year and a half. I didn’t even watch the matches much anymore. Then, little by little, I realized that I missed it. I wanted to stay in football, in another role. Always with this desire to perform. Coaching has always attracted me, and not necessarily because my father is a coach. I have known several coaches in my career and I have learned some good things and some not so good things from them, but it was always constructive. I think I have a good vision of the game and the players. Afterwards, of course, I recognize that my father’s profession must have obviously influenced me somewhere.
How did Claude, your father, react when he learned of your choice?
He was happy. He attended a few training sessions during the preparation and, of course, he gives me advice. Particularly on how to adapt to sessions with amateurs who are obviously not the same as with the pros.
Going from pros to amateurs, is it complicated?
Yes, adapting to this level is the most difficult. It is impossible to have the demands that I experienced as a professional with amateurs who work on the side, have family, and have little availability. I will have to adapt while maintaining the demands of the game.
Create a gaming identity
Your game project?
At our level, we have to work with the qualities of each member of the squad. All the friendly matches were very enriching to discover my players. Of course, I have specific ideas: keep the ball on the ground as much as possible and alternate between deep play and between the lines. We worked on two different systems during the preparation. All the players know what they have to do. But it takes time to fully assimilate all of this.
Are you satisfied with the preparation?
We didn’t separate the physical from the ball and there were some great developments. At the start, it was complicated with the players on vacation, the physical level was not uniform. But since our defeat once morest Valbonne in the Coupe de France (2-2, 3-4 tab), everyone is there, we are starting to catch up. Last week we won 2-1 once morest ASM II (R2) and I saw some very good things in the content. Our reference match for the moment.
The workforce has changed considerably…
There have been a lot of departures but we are relying on quality young people who had a very good season last season in U20R with Sami Ben Houideg. And we can also count on a few experienced players who know the club well (Vietti, Diamougue, Webb, Mazette, Kazarian…) and will supervise them.
Ambitions in D1?
We are under construction. I would like us to aim as high as possible but I cannot say that we are aiming for the climb. We want to create a gaming identity, to progress. There is no set goal for this first season. We will set a more precise objective next season.
Favorites?
I don’t know all the teams yet and I will discover them during the first phase which will be a little complicated. We played once morest Valbonne in the Cup, it’s interesting. Roquebrune, who we met in a friendly, is a great team. I was also told that Mouans-Sartoux was strong and Menton should be on point with his recruitment. We’re going to find out all that.
1694955912
#Grégoire #Puel #coaches #amateur #football #club #Côte #dAzur