Posted on October 23, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. by Bernard Colas
Threatened after ASSE’s disastrous start to the season and pushed out by club supporters, Claude Puel managed to save his skin with a draw against Angers (2-2) on Friday. However, the Saint-Etienne coach remains under pressure.
The explosive match against Angers this Friday was the outcome of another very turbulent week for Claude Puel. While the AS Saint- Etienn e is the red lantern of Ligue 1, the 60-year-old tactician is indeed under fire from critics in the Forez, and supporters let it be known before the match counting for the 11th day of Ligue 1. After claiming the head of Claude Puel , the audience of Geoffroy-Guichard displayed their anger by throwing several projectiles and smoke on the lawn, preventing the kickoff of the meeting which was finally launched at 10 p.m. The conditions were therefore not ideal for the team of Claude Puel , lacking confidence and led 2-0 on the hour mark. Finally, the Greens managed to revive themselves through Wahbi Khazri (61 ' ) and Mickaël Nade (90 + 4 '). A precious point which however does not allow the AS Saint-Etienne to leave the last place of the classification after 11 days without the slightest victory, but Claude Puel can nevertheless breathe for its future.
A reprieve for Claude Puel
In recent days, the departure of Claude Puel was indeed announced with insistence in Saint-Etienne. Earlier this week, RMC announced that a crisis meeting had been organized at the center of Robert-Herbin training during which the future of the Stéphanois coach had been called into question. Le10sport.com revealed to you this Thursday that the management had even proposed to Claude Puel to leave his post to take another position within the organization chart, thus allowing the Greens to save themselves a severance pay which promises to be high, given the € 250,000 that the general manager receives each month. An offer rejected by the latter, who made a point of clarifying his situation after the draw against Angers . “A meeting of what?” From whom? There was no crisis meeting, it was a meeting like every week, of the management board, not a crisis meeting, sorry, no more than the last few weeks, assured Claude Puel at the microphone of Prime Video. I stay focused on my players. (…) My position is that of a coach who is close to his players, who wants them to be able to show their qualities, and they do, but we have to find more efficiency and above all take less stupid goals. There is quality in this group, I will say it again. “According to L’Équipe, the result obtained this Friday for Geoffroy Guichard gives respite Claude Puel , who is no longer in immediate danger. However, several avenues have already been mentioned internally for his succession.
The management is already preparing the next step, just in case
In the event of further underperformance against FC Metz next Saturday, Claude Puel could once again be in an ejection seat, a situation which prompts the leaders of the ASSE to prepare for his possible succession. As revealed to you on 10sport.com, the name of Laurent Huard is coming up more and more internally. Director of the training center, he could be accompanied by Razik Nedder to take over from Claude Puel . For its part, L’Équipe announces that the Pascal Dupraz track is also up to date. Before the draw against SCO , the former coach of TFC was indeed on pole to land in Forez since it is very appreciated by Roland Romeyer , the president of the executive board of ASSE , but also by Jean-François Soucasse , the executive president who worked with him in Toulouse . In addition to the very strong pressure put by the supporters is therefore added that of the leaders, which does not seem to affect Claude Puel , preferring to focus on the athlete. “What interests me in these moments is to be pragmatic, to be professional,” he explained on Prime Video. Like I said, being close to my players and seeing them lift their heads like they did today, and then go for the win and gradually move up the standings. Once again, there is a quality group, if we manage to move up the rankings, everything will be done naturally with our audience and our environment. “