Ian Cathro's first words

His First Words in French

Hello, everyone. Thank you all for being here. My name is Ian Cathro, and I’m very happy to be in Saint-Étienne. I’ve started learning French, and I apologize in advance for my level. But I think mastering the language is very important, so I’m working to improve every day. 

AS Saint-Étienne 

When I was a kid, I went on a school trip to the Hampden Park museum—that’s my first memory of AS Saint-Étienne. At a very young age, I fell in love with the sport in general, with European soccer as a whole, and that image has stayed with me. I fully understand what this club stands for, its history, and its enormous potential. I have a huge responsibility. 

Ligue 2 BKT  

I don’t tell lies, and I’ll be honest: obviously, I don’t know Ligue 2 inside and out yet. But that was also the case when I first arrived in Portugal, Spain, or the Premier League and Championship—yet I’ve come to know all those leagues in depth. In any case, one thing is certain: no one will work harder than I will to prepare this team as best as possible for the challenge that lies ahead. 

His Decision to Join ASSE

There are several reasons why I’m here. One of them was taught to me by a famous Scottish coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, who said, “You shouldn’t choose a club—you should choose an owner first. And if both come together, say yes!” I’ve gotten to know Huss (Fahmy) more deeply, as well as the entire Saint-Étienne management team; I also know a lot about this club, and I’m going to learn even more. So I said yes! But everyone knows Saint-Étienne —in fact, the first person to send me a message after I announced my move to Saint-Étienne was José Mourinho.

His Philosophy on the Field

Every club is different, every group of players is different, and every week is different, too. The most important thing is to understand where we stand and what we have. Beyond that, a coach must also stay true to himself. I want to build a team that is competitive in every aspect and at every moment of a game: with or without the ball, in good times and in tough times alike. 

His staff 

I’m a confident person, but I’m not arrogant. I have the perspective needed to listen to others, and I don’t want to make all the decisions myself. I want to rely on people who know this environment, and that’s why building my staff was so important. We need people who are ready to do this job—yes—but above all, to do this kind of work here. (…) We have work ahead of us, and we know it. But we also know where we’re going and where we want to go.

Remarks by Huss Fahmy, Executive Vice President of Kilmer

"I am proud and excited to introduce Ian Cathro as Les Verts' new coach. I have had the pleasure of knowing him for several years, and I believe that in the coming weeks, you—the media—as well as all of our fans and players, will get to know him as both a professional and a person. We haven't had the chance to speak since the end of last season.  We had a goal, and we didn’t achieve it. We accept the disappointment and take full responsibility for this failure. We used the break to analyze this failure and learn from it. Now, a new season is beginning.  We believe that Ian (Cathro) and his staff have the necessary experience—gained at various clubs, in different countries and leagues, working with different coaching staffs and players of various nationalities—to adapt to this club and rise to its level. Our commitment to this club and this city remains the same: we want to be in Ligue 1. But that doesn’t mean we lack humility or that we’re unaware of the challenge ahead of us. We know just how difficult this league is, but that shouldn't stop us from pursuing this goal. It will be a long process—every day, every practice, every game—to reach this goal."