“Our players must fly”: before Nîmes – Versailles, what to remember from the new coach’s first pre-match press conference

Adil Hermach at the helm: “We will save ourselves through play, with the Nîmes state of mind” Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET

Friday April 12 at 7:30 p.m., for the 29th day of National, Nîmes Olympique (14th and relegated) hosts Versailles (12th, four points more). It will be the first for the new coach, Adil Hermach, promoted from the reserves. After the last training session of the week, behind closed doors, lasting 1 hour 22 minutes (that's a lot for the day before a match), the 37-year-old coach spoke. Excerpts.

The results of the first week of training. "It went very well. At the beginning, you are obviously apprehensive. I focused on the team by eliminating parasitic things. I favored advice on the pitch over big speeches in the locker room. We are in maintenance operation, we can say commando, a term that has existed since 1920, but we must not be terrorized. We are in danger, but we are not afraid."

Aggression, the key word ? "No, the key word, it will be ball. With an aggressive game, with or without the ball. We are going to save ourselves through play, with the Nîmes state of mind."

Nîmois, Nîmois!"I can tell you that there will be people from Nîmes in the team. Lamgahez, Khalid, Paget (as well as Lemaangr), from the reserves, joined the first team."

Zakary Lamgahez (21 years old since April 8). "Lamgahez will play in central defense instead of Mendy, who is suspended. It will be his first match in the league, it’s not a gift. He’s a player who loves blood. And it is clean, has a very good recovery. He was trained in Montpellier but he quickly became imbued with the Nîmes state of mind. We'll have to count on him."

The way to approach the match."Versailles will expect us to crash into them. We have to be taken by as many people as possible to the stadium. Our players must fly. I will accept a non-match, but I will not accept that we are failing in our state of mind."

Who will wear the armband, Mendy being suspended ? "It’is under consideration. It’s only a piece of fabric but the good news is that I have, in my opinion, 6 or 7 leaders who can carry it."< /p>

The composition. Adil Hermach having just been appointed, will it be made by the staff already in place or by the new coach ? "It will be that of the entire staff, but it’s Adil who gives it (smile). He could line up the following eleven: Paradowski – Sbaï, Diouf, Lamgahez, Diallo – Mexico, Khalid, Picouleau – Camara, Doucouré, Mbemba. Mbina should start on the bench.

The 6-0 on the way to Versailles. "It’s behind us, there is had some gambling incidents (NO at 9, Editor's note), but I haven't forgotten. I had also spoken with Greg (Vignal, coach of Versailles since sacked, former Montpellier who was delighted to have beaten the Crocos) on this subject."

The absent ones. Dias, Burner, Labonne, Paviot, Doukansy, Sané (adductors, quite serious) are not suitable. Mendy is suspended.