Access-match Grenoble – MHR: “Maintain a form of mutual trust between each other”, how the MHR must approach the match mentally

Tolofua et Chalureau seront parmis les leaders de jeu. – JEAN-MICHEL MART

Raphaël Laurin, head of the master “Sport psychology and performance optimization” from the University of Burgundy, returned to the key points of mental preparation, before this particular match.
 

Match preparation

"The only thing that matters for a coach and for a collective of players is to focus on a project, on certainties. It’s about maintaining a form of reciprocal trust between each other. Because these matches are always decided on key moments."

Dynamics

"Overall, there are still two teams who present themselves with an experience that is more or less negative. They experienced something that affected them. I imagine that the guys from Grenoble, who lost the Pro D2 final, even though they had already lost the year before, must be affected, just like the people from Montpellier who rsquo;we weren't waiting here."

Montpellier favorite ?

"This is the big mistake not to make. I don't think they can plan like that, they know very well that they can get through it. I can't imagine a coach telling them: “Guys, you're favorites, you're going to beat them”. This is not possible."

The importance of leaders

"I think that in hot times, the role of the leader is preponderant. It’s a look at a guy, it’s a slap on the butt, and then you go forward again. There's something happening that makes you think that it can do it, and that it will do it… In teams that rotate, generally there are 2-3 dads, and then there is something that shines through them, that makes everyone draw on that."