Large winner of Evreux (Pro B) (92-52) Tuesday night in the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France - after, already, a qualification against Chartres, another team of Pro B - Challans is also leader of his pool of NM1 with a record of 8 wins and 1 loss. His coach, Philippe Namyst decrypts the current success of his group.
Philippe, your team, Challans, who plays in N1, beat Pro B, Evreux, with 40 points (92-52). We dreamed?
It is true that considering the result, one could think it. We made a very accomplished match. First in the defensive investment: we saw boys very supportive of each other. They wanted to show, on the one hand that they were on the level - it's done, and fully - and on the other hand, that he was able to put rhythm and alternate solutions. It must also be said that this team Evreux was physically started: she had a very big start to the season in terms of number of matches with the Leader's Cup where she was in the quarter-finals, the Coupe de France and its championship. She exploded physically because we were definitely more rhythmic than she was.
This match, you approach it without pressure - no one would have to blame you for being eliminated by a Pro B team - and it served you to maintain confidence. Today, she is here ...
Yes. The team is in place, it's a real group that is happy. We do not lose sight of our goal of the week is Saturday (trip to Lorient, 3rd, which has a record of 7 wins - 2 losses) . We wanted to use this match to better prepare for this trip. We did it perfectly. With, in addition, a match scenario that allows us not to shoot too much on the bodies because no player exceeds the 26 minutes. From this point of view, this win in the Cup is very interesting: not to have had to dig into the reserves. And then, of course, it fuels confidence.
There is also this score! 40 points difference, it's not nothing ...
We never imagined that. When you come in a match, we try to put the ingredients so that things can go well. Sometimes it laughs, other times less. Tonight (read Tuesday night) , everything went perfectly, so much the better. But now, the road is still long, we will not ignite. We will continue to remain humble, to make efforts. As long as we are in this state of mind, good things can happen.
Is not that the key to your current success? You maintain a group in its confidence, in its principles, in its philosophy.
It is at the same time surfing on this wave of confidence and success and staying alert for not having changes in the state of mind. It's not an easy chemistry ...
Saturday, it will be a game at the top. The summit is there, but you have to stay ...
Absolutely. It will be another match in Lorient, which will wait for us firmly. It's a match that, if we can once again be so successful, can allow us to make a real first break in this championship, or to return a little more in the norm. It is up to us to keep this state of mind to achieve a result.
You are in 11 games (9 in N1, 2 in the Coupe de France) for a record of 10 wins and 1 losses. There, it's no longer a coincidence ...
Especially not. Work pays. This group has worked a lot, he questioned himself. We used our preparation matches well to build and learn from each exit. Trust coming, we see that everyone responds present. The 10 players.
Which axis of progression the coach that you are seeing in this group?
In rhythm management. Even if it is also part of our qualities, sometimes we ignite a little. We can also support more where it hurts. And I repeat: all that is talking. We must not believe we have arrived. Our last two performances (victories in La Rochelle and then against Tarbes / Lourdes) , although synonymous with success, have been much less accomplished. So stay alert.
It is not fragile, but it remains a team that can, at a time, lose the thread?
They are always complicated balances. What makes a player, individually, confident? What makes a group adhere to a scheme? All this can always be disturbed for a moment by a grain of sand. So, we try to clean the grains of sand ...