Pierre Sage, in a press conference, opened up about his frustration after Lens drew with Brest: “The players really felt targeted, I addressed this with them and the entire group. I will compare it to a conflict situation within a family. It often happens, at the moment when inheritance needs to be divided, there are many conflicts within families, and at that moment, the true level of love is revealed. Just because there is a conflict in a system does not mean it is necessarily shaken. On the contrary, it must find its resources within. When the patriarch messes up, as was the case, I really went all out, I also have to show the players and the group that I love them a lot and that we still have many things to defend.”
“I could have played with the timing by saying that the players do not have time and no choice, there are so many beautiful goals to achieve. But they are such good guys that I could not keep quiet about it. So, I allowed myself to give them my position regarding the general situation, I also allowed myself to give them my individual position regarding the reproaches I had made to them. Just because we scold someone or call them out doesn’t mean we don’t love them. There is always a tomorrow, and there are beautiful tomorrows to live together.”
“It’s a phase. In Lille, for me, things were missing, in Brest, many things were inevitably missing. Sometimes, my role is to distribute treats. Sometimes, it’s also to scold. And scolding can be strong, clumsy, I admit it. I remain someone human, whole, honest, and transparent. Sometimes it’s very good, sometimes it’s very bad. I also know how to recognize when it’s very bad. And this time, it was very, very bad.”
“If I had the same analysis of the first half after reviewing the match? Worse. It reinforced my question of ‘how could we be down 3-0.’ Even if the match we delivered was not up to par, the score was so far from the difference between the two teams at that moment that maybe that’s what plunged me into this dark anger. Despite everything in the second half, we realize that when we took control, with a little more defensive efficiency in transitions and offensively in balance and finishing, we were able to equalize the score. We could have even gone for the win.”
“Some players took it badly, and that’s normal. But I always make a distinction between the player and the person. Even when I am tough on the player, I always have a lot of respect for the person. Because in everyday life, if I did not have the opportunity to work with some, they would have understood it a long time ago. Conversely, they may have discovered a side of me that goes beyond the image of the ideal son-in-law and young educator. When competition brings us to be in maximum demand, it is possible that from time to time I lose my temper. And I may be able to say that it was necessary but also that I messed up to ensure that the ship continues to move forward smoothly on its trajectory. I don’t feel like the ship is rocking. Quite the opposite.”
“Behind all this, there is above all a frank, sincere discussion. The important thing is to say things. Sometimes it hurts a lot, but it also allows the possibility to say other necessary things that may have been a bit deeper.”
