After having acquired his maintenance, Rodez (14th) will not be able to run his workforce as he would have liked, Friday May 2 in Metz (3rd) and a week later against Clermont (17th) to complete the financial year, because of a settlement point.
“J‘would have liked to save me five, six days earlier to be able to do more things, work differently, try other systems, say thank you to players … We’re going to do it a little, but we have less room for maneuver. “ While his team assured (almost officially) his survival at the second national level last Saturday, thanks to his draw against Paris FC (1-1), Didier Santini will not be able to upset his team on the last two games, starting with that of this Friday evening in Metz (3rd). And this for a purely regulatory reason: “For the meetings counting for the last two days of the league 1 and league 2 championship, the clubs cannot incorporate into the list of players planned on the match sheet more than four players who did not actually participate in one of the previous four championship matches taking part in any time of the game (the presence in the group is therefore not enough, editor’s note).”
A regulation which complicates the replacement of absent
A total of 12 players from the expanded blood and gold workforce are therefore affected by this rule, including Lionel Mpasi, the second goalkeeper. Once his name is checked on the match sheet, Didier Santini therefore has only three other possible integrations. Difficult choices, especially since Rodez will have to do without some of his elements on this final sprint: Éric Vandenabeele (injured and forfeited until the end of the season) and Ahmad Ngouyamsa (suspended) this Friday evening, as well as Mory Diaw against Clermont, club in which he belongs and who joined a clause in his loan prohibiting him from playing this match. “I may not take two guards for this match”laughing Didier Santini yesterday at a press conference, thinking about the puzzle that awaits him.
-Towards an end to the adventure without last dance for Chougrani
Beyond the goalkeeper’s question, the coach must also look into his defensive sector, he who would have liked to be able to reintegrate Stone Mambo, Aurélien Pelon and Loni Laurent, who have not set foot on a Ligue 2 lawn for several weeks, by choice or injury. “Stone and Loni are among these players (targeted by the regulations supposed to prevent clubs from distorting the end of the championship by lowering their level) While they have played more than 20 games, it’s a bit stupid “regrets Didier Santini.
It is therefore in this context and with the desire to get closer to the initial objective that he had set himself, namely “at 9e like”that the coach tackles this end of exercise. But also, of course, with the desire to prepare for already next season. “I think Aurélien (Pelon, almost 21 years old and under contract until 2027) will play this match or the next one “he announces with this in mind. While Conference, the history, the history Joris Chougrani (34), at the end of the contract in June and for whom an extension seems very unlikely, he who continues to be annoyed by injuries, should not experience last dance … “I’m going to have trouble (to play it). We are here to work for next season today, so it’s not easy “recognizes Didier Santini.
If the last two groups of the exercise will not necessarily look like the Rouergat staff would have hoped, it could have been much more disabled if he had not yet validated his maintenance. What then allow him to put this little puzzle into perspective, before starting a largely more important: that of summer, with the many departures and arrivals waiting for Rodez. Again.
