The Swiss defender reflected on the disappointment of Rodez’s elimination against Saint-Etienne (0-0, 6-7 on penalties) on Friday 15th May, as well as the pleasure he had playing within the team throughout the season.
“What is the prevailing feeling after your elimination?”
“There is disappointment because I think we had the chances to win the match over the 90 minutes. At the same time, there is pride because the season we had was exceptional. We are still undefeated and played in front of 40,000 people, which was a great experience. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get past the hurdle, but we had a very good season and a very good match (on Friday).”
“Do you have more regrets about the match or the penalty shootout?”
“It’s a bit of both. There are regrets about the penalty shootout. I have them because I missed mine. And in the match, we also have regrets because we had opportunities. We had a huge chance in the 80th minute, if we had scored, we would have been through!”
“Could you hear each other on the field amidst the supporters’ chants?”
“Not really. It was possible if we got closer to talk, or at certain moments when the supporters were quieter, we could hear each other. It’s a context that galvanizes. Everyone wanted to play this match, to have fun. I think everyone enjoyed this experience; I hope the Rodez fans also enjoyed watching us play, and we thank them for coming.”
“Do you want to take on more challenges with Rodez, to go even further with this team next season?”
“If we continue like this next season and maintain such a strong squad, why not aim for direct promotion? We weren’t too far from it; we were only four points away. In the playoffs, we beat Red Star, we stood up to Saint-Etienne, I think we are causing fear. We want to go as far as possible with Rodez and make the club shine all over France.”
“Will you still be a player for Raf next season?”
“I still have two years left on my contract. I haven’t spoken to anyone else; I feel great in Aveyron. Rodez is a city that has welcomed me very well, where people are very nice. The team spirit is great, as is the staff. There is nothing that would make me leave.”
“Looking back on the season as a whole, what were the key factors behind your good results?”
“It was mainly down to a strong team spirit; we all get along very well. We spent the first six months putting everything in place; we had to get to know each other, play together. We understood what the staff expected from us. Besides the coach’s principles, the players contributed their own touch, some had great individual performances, and that helped us become a great team.”
“At what point did you realize there was something very significant to achieve this season?”
“During the 3-3 draw against Pau (January 3rd, in the first match of the return phase). At that moment, we were struggling to score goals, to play well. During that game, we managed to score three times, to come back after being behind three times. That convinced me that we were capable of playing well, of doing great things. After that, we made some adjustments to be better defensively while still being strong offensively.”
“Rodez has one of the smallest budgets in the championship, your squad has very few players who knew Ligue 2 before the start of the season. Is your drive also at this level, in not being expected and for some to seek revenge?”
“Everyone was hungry, everyone wanted to prove they could play in Ligue 2, or even higher. That’s what made the difference. And in the end, I think everyone succeeded.”
“You mentioned the cohesion of the squad. What was the staff’s contribution to building a tightly-knit group on a human level?”
“In the club, everyone is important, everyone has contributed to building a strong team. We are a young group, everyone has similar hobbies, that’s also why we clicked.”
