Noël Libog to the rescue of the Fabrègues reserve team which is fighting to remain in Regional 2

Noël Libog before a friendly match against Juvignac, in Fabrègues, on February 21. Mathias Tuduri

Noël Libog gets annoyed at the edge of the pitch against Juvignac in a friendly match on February 21. Mathias Tuduri

Noël Libog takes the time necessary to give advice to his players. Mathias Tuduri

Noël Libog during a friendly match in Fabrègues against Juvignac, February 21. Mathias Tuduri

After his departure from Atlas Paillade (Regional 1) last December, Noël Libog was entrusted with the mission of saving the AS Fabrègues reserve, in Regional 2. If the ;#39;coach had to adapt with a young group, he does not change his way of teaching and transmitting.

Having Noël Libog as a trainer is the certainty of spending an hour and a half of physically and intellectually grueling training. Physically, because “only work pays”; and intellectually because "I start from the principle that the footballer I train must be open in what he does and understand why he does it".

In other words, it is better not to come to training with a flat encephalogram. The fifty-year-old was called to the rescue, three months ago, to save the reserve team of AS Fabrègues, stuck in last place in his group in Regional 2. Three months before, he was yet at the head of Atlas Paillade, a division above, with whom he came close to promotion to National 3 last season. Noël Libog paid for his lack of results, "it's the fault of bad luck, there is not a club that stepped on us", he said. "These are the circumstances of the game, there was little success but at no time did we not have the level" .

"He has charisma, he brings authority"

Having left on a whim with the Pailladin leaders, the former coach of Lattes and Castelnau accepted the offer from Fabréguois president Hervé Goidin to take the reins of a team at worst. "There were other contacts to make but the choice of Fabrègues was obvious because I know the leaders, the structure and the contacts are made more easily" . He brings together a very young group, most of whom are new to the senior world. "I came to watch the match against Vauvert (1-2, December 17), I realized that there was a lot of work to be done. It's a personal challenge, I'm a natural competitor", he says.

"I'm happy with his arrival, says Laurent Grailhes, leader of the reserve team. If there's anyone to save them from this situation, it's him. He has the charisma, he brings authority, he makes them come off their hinges because he knows they can do more so he presses on.. When they come out of training , they are dry." The original Parisian "tries to instill habits" and "insists on the work of repetition".

First victory since October

Last Sunday, Libog won his first victory against Lattes (2-1) since his arrival, the second for this group which had not smelled this scent since October 8 against the ;#39;AS Méditerranéenne (0-1). "Maintenance is still playable, I'm not working for nothing. I must be as relevant and effective as possible in the face of difficulty to keep the group together. If on the one hand we lose and the training is not relevant, we lose track. When they come, there is a message to convey. Today, I have this ability to make people understand the benefit of working and I think that is a strength. I've just arrived at the club, am I asking too much from the players ? I don't know, but I'm so into it that I want everyone to world is on the same level. Having a first team is one thing. Having a reserve team is yet another job".