“I know they are capable of anything”: the reaction of Ruthenian coach Didier Santini after the victorious play-off

“Ce qui nous arrive, c’est quand on a des rêves”, veut croire Didier Santini. MAXPPP – Thierry Larret

The Ruthenian coach was delighted with his team's victory, after penalties and emotions, following the success against Paris FC, Tuesday May 21. But he is impatiently awaiting the trip to Saint-Étienne.

"That’s what sport is all about, emotions, they often make me experience them. I know they are capable of anything.
At 3-0 (during the penalty shootout), the 4th referee came to see me "you look super calm". I told him "It’s not over yet". Then he had to stop.

The whole scenario is like that. You come back to the score then "pim pam poum" in the 94th minute, you can be mentally affected after the equalizer. There was a great goalkeeper in front, my players forced their shots and it didn't work.

I think my players are fresh. When you go to Geoffroy-Guichard, in front of 40,000 people, all you want to do is play, put on a show.

What I told them before the session? I told them that they had had an extraordinary season, that whatever happened they had put on a show . You had to switch, think about shooting, not worry.

What happens to us is when we have dreams, this feeling that we can beat great teams. They appropriated so many things, we came back so many times. They are capable of anything. I would have been disappointed to lose. But that’s football, when you don’t kill the match, at 11 against 10, you’re not safe from anything. If you win, it’s a top scenario.

The goalkeeper Jaouen, heroic after his mistake? He is 18 and a half years old, he is learning. It will see the equalization images. In six months, a year, he will block it. He had a great match. It’s a slight hand fault, there are people in front. But you can't blame him. I can't blame myself for making mistakes.

Tonight, they are professional, they are going to be very serious. They have the chance to play a great game on Friday."