Laurent Huard: “The most important thing is the curriculum.”

A Reserve team made younger

We may have lacked some key players since the start of the season. I am thinking of our two recruits, Élysée Ntambu Mvaka and Modibo Sissoko, but also of the longer-term injuries to Jebryl Sahraoui and Meïvyn Agesilas. In this context, the Reserve team played young, which did not prevent it from having good momentum at the start of the season. Things are tougher now in terms of results, but it's important to remember that our average age in this category since the start of the season is 19. Playing young means we have both strengths and weaknesses. We are capable of playing well, controlling the ball, with regularly more than 60% possession. But we also concede avoidable goals, from set pieces for example. There is room for improvement in this reserve team, and it's good that we stopped the negative spiral on the last day, especially as we fielded three players who had never started at this level before: Aboubakar Traoré (16), Maxence Tatuszka and Mamadou Konté (18). This championship is a learning experience for these types of players. The ambition for the second half of the season, even if it may be misinterpreted, is to stay up. We know this is a difficult league and securing survival is not easy. 

Accelerated learning for U17 and U19 players

Inevitably, the U17 and U19 teams are feeling the effects of absences in the reserves, with a domino effect since the start of the season. Here again, we are playing with fairly young players in these national championships. Of the 14 U17 players who played in their last match, 10 were U16s. The learning curve is therefore faster. This is not always intentional, as it can sometimes be too fast-paced, but again, it allows players to face an additional challenge. We are obviously patient with these players. In terms of training, it makes sense that the second half of the season is better than the first. The main objective is for our young players to remain confident even if the results are not in their favor. There are interesting things to be gained despite everything. If it's too easy, a player doesn't progress. If it's too complicated, it leads to a loss of confidence. The idea is to find a balance for them!

Positive signs 

We have several international players, which is a good indicator. We are in regular contact with the national team coaches. We remain well positioned on the national football scene. This also applies to our future players who will be joining the Pôle Espoirs. I recently went to see a match between Reims and Clairefontaine. We had seven players represented among the U14 and U15 teams who will be joining us in the near future. This illustrates the long-term work carried out by the recruitment team. We can also mention the work of our football academy, led by Patrick Liogier, and our pre-training program, headed by Jean-Philippe Primard, where we are able to consolidate our staff with the presence of assistants, physical trainers, and video analysts. From U12 to U15, we no longer operate with just one coach. These are important assets that the club has allowed us to integrate. 

Stability provides good conditions

We can operate with continuity, which is not the case for all training centers in France, where staff numbers have been reduced. We can rely on coaches who know the club inside out. This is an asset, because training is a long process. We are not focused on immediate results, which can sometimes be deemed insufficient. The most important thing is the curriculum. Over time, the reward is seeing young people graduate from the training center. In 2026, we hope to maintain the momentum symbolized by the club's appeal. Young footballers want to join us, whether they are from Saint-Étienne or not, because the club exudes positive energy through its history, its passion, and its vision. It is through our daily work that we will reap collective and individual rewards.