Past, present, future: mid-season, assessment and prospects for Usam Nîmes

Tom Poyet (3/3 contre le PSG mercredi 20 décembre, malgré la défaite 34-24) a beaucoup donné depuis cet été. MIDI LIBRE – ARCHIVE MIKAEL ANISSET

After a good start to the season, Nîmes lost the thread and too many players to hope for better than an 8th place at the end of the first phase of Starligue. Our assessment… and what's next.

The past: an insufficient record

Eight victories, seven defeats, a negative goal difference (429 scored, 433 conceded), only four successes for as many setbacks at Parnasse, an 8th place at the end of the first leg, Usam falls short of its top 5 goals.

She nevertheless limited the damage, ending the year with four victories (including one in the Coupe de France) and two losses. But it did not limit the physical damage: it ended 2023 corrected by PSG (24-34) without seven injuries, and not short-lived.

"Arriving at 16 points in this context, within shooting range of the teams in front (Aix is ​​also at 16 points, Saint-Raphaël at 17, Limoges at 19 and Toulouse, 4th sitting on the last European folding seat, at 22), having beaten Chambéry and Toulouse at Parnasse unlike last season, it's not bad, still believes Yann Balmossière, the Nîmes coach.

We will note a turning point and two hiccups. The turning point is Aix au Parnasse, October 22. Nîmes were coming off nine consecutive wins at home and had been stunning losers in the derby at the Arena. Then, on October 22, in the final moments, two very questionable arbitration decisions on forceful passages, or not, tipped the scales in favor of the Provençaux (31-32). With the opposite result that evening, we are almost convinced that there would not have been a hiccup against Cesson at home, then that against the red lantern Ivry.

"We finished this first part in survival mode, summarizes President David Tebib. We can have a good second half if we recover some of the players." Which should be the case during February, even for Gallego. Except for Kamtchop-Baril.

Last year, with Ljubomir Vranjes, Usam had 18 points, two more, and had amassed 23 during the return phase. It will take at least as many, during the first half of 2024, to return to the top 5.

We will also have to find the way to the net: the Gard team only has the 14th attack (out of 16) in Starligue, symbolized by an unrecognizable Sanad. The winger is only 26th in the scorer rankings, although he has not left the top 10 since 2019: he is at 61% shooting success, and 48% for penalties!

The defense, on the other hand, can travel: it’s the 3rd most airtight in D1, just behind Nantes and Montpellier.

The present: resumed on January 5

After two weeks of vacation, the Usamists are summoned for the resumption (medical point) Friday January 5. See you Monday 8 for the first handball training. The Green team will then complete a three-day mini-course in Drôme (Pierrelatte) concluded with a first friendly match against Valence (D2) on Friday 19. Then will participate in the Saint-Etienne tournament on January 25 and 26 with Montpellier, Aix and Dijon (D1).

The quarter-final of the Coupe de France will follow, the first weekend of February (possibly Saturday 3), in Paris against PSG, before moving to Cesson in the championship on Thursday 8.< /p>

Winter preparation will be done without Abdelhak or Sanad, who will play the African Cup of Nations with Egypt, in Cairo, at home (from January 19 to 29). On the other hand, there will be no Nîmes at Euro 2024 in Germany. Baznik, for example, was not selected for the Slovenian selection.

The future: towards a new trainer

This is the current trend: Usam is looking for a number 1 coach for next season. This is not a sanction against Yann Balmossière, whose work on the defensive aspect is praised internally.

Simply, the club management considers that “Balmo” and Jérôme Chauvet must return to their original position, assistant for one, general manager for the other. What those interested would also like. The duo was appointed urgently after the departure of Vranjes in June.

Who to lead the pro team, then ? David Tebib and his advisor, Michaël Guigou, are following several avenues and have established a short list, with a strong French sound… but also Spanish. The names of Sébastien Leriche (Cesson) and Laurent Busselier (Séléstat), mentioned in the spring, no longer appear among the favorites.

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