Michaël Guigou before the Nîmes – Montpellier derby: “For Usam, it’s the match of the year”

Michaël Guigou, jeudi 29 février au Parnasse, pendant l'entraînement des pros de l'Usam. MIDI LIBRE – MIKAEL ANISSET

After twenty years as a player in Montpellier (1999-2019), Michaël Guigou finished his career in Nîmes, where he still officiates, but as a manager. At 42, the three-time Olympic champion talks to Midi Libre about the past, the present and the future, the derbies and the French team, before the Usam – MHB on Sunday March 3 (7 p.m. Parnassus, sold out).

First of all, what are you called from now on ? Mr. Ambassador of Usam, Mr. advisor to the president, sports director ?

Oh dear (laughs). My first and last name, Michaël Guigou, that’s very good! I have lots of missions. Let's say that my function is overall support for the club alongside David (Tebib, president of Usam) and Jérôme (Chauvet, general manager), alongside the young teams also for training, with politicians, partners, etc.

637 days ago, you played your last handball match…

Already! One day ago, on the other hand, I was playing a match of padel (smile)…

Question we ask young retirees: do you miss handball ?

No, at all! Even when there are matches of the French team, there is no nostalgia, no frustration. stopped at that point. Especially since physically, I'm doing pretty well, I can still do sports. I play padel, so I'm licensed at the Grabels club, near where I live. Me. And I play football with friends on Sunday morning. It's an exhibition, not a championship. Besides, I don't have the impression of being one of those who swell after their career…

I had to find a new organization, a new rhythm between Montpellier where I live and Nîmes where I work, to carve out time to take care of myself and my body, also with my daughter who does sports. #39;horse riding, a sport that requires presence. You get there. Concerning handball, I take penalties on the young Usam goalkeepers, to show them that they still have to work (smile). And in some individualized training, in some situations, I participate, but very little.

What is a typical day for Michaël Guigou today ?

In the morning, I train for the pros. At lunchtime, on individualized training sessions with young people from the training center, those who are on the bridge between the reserves and the pro group, like Kenzo (Guironnet), Reyhan (Zuzo)… I watch their matches again and I do video feedback.

At the beginning of the afternoon, I can be on recruitment, pros and young people. I also discuss with Laurie (Roudière) on the women's section and Tuesday boys-girls training, or with the club management on the various operations carried out by Usam. In the evening there is reserve training. That's lots of different things that fill my days properly (smile).

So you don't miss playing handball. And win a derby ? 

Playing a derby is a great moment. There is intensity, there is a stake, there is an atmosphere. When I was in Montpellier, even though we were always favorites, it was always a special moment in our season. And now, being on the side of Nîmes, for Usam, it's the match of the year. It's the best atmosphere of the season, the match that everyone is waiting for.

Relaxed, Michaël Guigou answered questions from Midi Libre in the stands of Parnasse. FREE MIDI – MIKAEL ANISSET

Usam's last victory was also your first derby with Nîmes, on September 11, 2019 (25-24). You must keep a necessarily special memory…

A great memory. It was my first home match with Usam, after 20 years in Montpellier. Playing it and winning it was a great moment. 

The history of the Nîmes-Montpellier or Montpellier-Nîmes derbies (record: 7 victories for Usam, 3 draws, 36 successes for MHB), it is often that of the # 39;Gard attack which smashes into the Hérault defense. You who have played in both camps, what do you think ?

I especially want to say that in the end, it is experience and talent that take over. one way or another. Montpellier has always had many more international players, and therefore an ability to raise its level of play at certain moments of the match. For me, it's more about that. Sometimes with a lot of difference in the score, and sometimes, it comes down to nothing.

And Sunday's, how do you see it ?

I see Nîmes with real possibilities of doing something compared to the current form of Montpellier, the rotations that they do not have. A derby is always a derby, but over an hour, compared to the difficulties of the MHB, anything is possible. When you play Paris or Nantes, you are faced with a series of players who come and weigh in, who accelerate.

Today, Montpellier is less able to do so due to absences, while Nîmes has found people again. This is the reality of the moment. Without Villeminot or Hesham, it's not the same team. Montpellier played Veszprem on Thursday (37-31 defeat), that must leave its mark. Afterwards, they have the rhythm. Let's say that trust is on the side of Nîmes, distrust on the side of Montpellier. This is one of the derbies of recent years which promises to be the most indecisive.

How do you judge the evolution of the two clubs in recent years ?

More than an evolution, there is first a certain reality. There is the trio Paris, Nantes and Montpellier, with PSG above, on course to win their 10th championship. That doesn't change compared to my departure from Montpellier, when the three teams were in the Final Four of the Champions League, which was extraordinary. These three exist at national and European level. Behind, there  has another homogeneous platoon, with Chambéry, Toulouse, Nîmes for me first, then Saint-Raphaël who returns to the fight, Aix who has more difficulties since the departure of Konan, and Limoges who hangs up the wagon.

Afterwards, it was handball in general that evolved, in the right direction, with many interesting projects, the Maison du handball, beautiful rooms… Cesson, Saran, Créteil…&nbsp ;Each project strives to the maximum of what it can do. There is more competition at all levels, so you have to be smarter than the other, and anticipate. Ten to fifteen years ago, all the players wanted go to Montpellier. Today, the MHB is no longer alone and has serious competitors. Concerning Usam, ten years ago, it played 9-10th place, now it is 4-5th. And she now has a double ambition with a women's project (Nîm'arguerittes, promoted and leader in Nationale 2, 4th national level, aims for professionalism in the medium term, Editor's note).

Unless we are mistaken, since your departure from Montpellier in 2019, the MHB has not won a title. Is this anecdotal, or not ?

It's difficult to answer this question…But it's not false, it's a reality. Competition is strong…  

The French team, immortal at the top of world handball ?

"The last rite was great. Today, the French team is armed with the necessary equipment. all levels. She hasn't changed too much; from Tokyo (the Olympic title). It's anything but illogical, when we see the young generations of the French teams and the overall work accompanied by them. by the Federation. There is a real desire to in French handball, men's and women's, to grow further. Our players play in the best clubs in the world.

There is a real competitor which is Denmark, but I find that we are generally better armed. À At the end, in the final, Denmark has the ball to win but Gidsel, he played the whole match, and he doesn't have the energy to make the difference. And you put the energy into making the difference in overtime, because you have rotations, collective and individual experience. Çit reminds me a bit of the Russia-Sweden mano a mano à the time.

After Karabatic, with Minne or Briet who were not there at the time. &agrav; the Euro, you say to yourself: "çit's going to be fine". We have the fishpond. Guillaume Gille and his staff found; the right balance. Behind, for me, there are Sweden and Egypt. Spain comes next. We're talking about boys, but we can also talk about girls, who are in the same “reading” way. and the same success.

I, who am now a supporter-spectator of these teams, with a privileged feeling to have accompaniedé launching the adventure with this Olympic title is great. There, yes, I would have regretted it. for not having been é at the start of this new cycle with this Olympic title. I'm glad to have been part of the beginning of their story. Prandi's goal (the free throw in the last second in the semi-final against Sweden, Editor's note), is a   event in their history.

The MHB was looking for an assistant to Erick Mathé whom it has just found, and who will be Baptiste Nicot. A probably unfounded rumor brought your name out of the hat some time ago for this position. Can you confirm that it was just a rumor ?

I have not had contact with Montpellier. Let my name get around, I heard that, yes, but there was no contact. 

Training every day was not your goal when you retired. It still isn't ?

We'll see, we'll see. I'm not closed to anything. Today, I am on various supports, which do not close any doors for me. I take great pleasure in being with young people, sharing this, this transmission, I have a blast. It I haven been on the other side for two years. We will see depending on the opportunities. 

It might excite you to train one day ?

Yes of course. Usam needed me to accompany him in the current way. I also asked to advise young people, which was not necessarily the idea at the start. I didn't want to completely separate myself from the field. I find individualized training super useful. But I might want more at some point.

You stayed at the MHB from 1999 to 2019. Doing 2019-2039 at Usam is possible ?

Oh my! We'll see, I don't know, it's difficult to talk about the future.

Speaking of the near future, the Olympics are coming. How will you experience them ?

I have been contacted in several ways, without anything really being done yet. By the French Handball Federation, which asked me to participate in the fan zone in front of the Maison du handball. By the media (including RMC Sport) to be a speaker, by companies to share my Olympic experience. And by the Olympic Committee for Club France (through which French athletes pass during the Games).

And you, what is your wish ?

Me, everything I mentioned interests me. Go to the Olympics, share my experience, while enjoying the events. Live from the inside, and also transmit and share. It can be quite busy (smile). It will be cool to experience the Games without pressure, without all the preparation. Of all my Olympics, I only saw tennis in 2008 with Clément and Llodra who suggested that we come and see them, and the handball final in Tokyo in 2021 to encourage ;the girls, despite the Covid… and the evening the day before, after our coronation! You can't really go see the events, the sites are often far from the athletes' village. You have to recover, you're not there as a tourist, and you often follow them in your living room with your teammates in the village, where you have all the sports and all the channels.

Finally, is the adopted Vauclusian Héraultais starting to feel like he is Gard ?

I still live in Montpellier. Let's say that my heart is… French. I am proud to have been one of the few of the generation of Experts to have only played for French teams. I am a faithful person, my life was like that. Nîmes has always been a special place for me, with Junillon, "Mimo" Scaccianoce, always loyal derbies. When I was young, I was a fan of Usam and OM Vitrolles with as many French internationals playing there as possible. I also really liked Barcelona, ​​an institution. What motivates more than anything now is supporting French handball, helping to train new generations. We'll see what the future holds.

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