Newsletter

Football – Was FC Sion right to keep Guillaume Hoarau?

PostedJune 9, 2021, 7:43 PM

At 37, the Frenchman can still be decisive, but under certain conditions, assure Gabet Chapuisat and a physical trainer with a fine connoisseur of the Super League.

Guillaume Hoarau will have many other opportunities to thank a Valaisan audience which will finally be numerous at Tourbillon.

Freshfocus

On Tuesday, FC Sion announced the extension of Guillaume Hoarau’s contract for an additional season. After a very troubled season, the Valais club has therefore decided to once again trust one of those who have largely contributed to its maintenance in the Super League. And this although the French striker, victim of several small injuries, was only able to play 22 of the 36 matches on the calendar.

Enough, however, for Guillaume Hoarau to rank third among the top scorers of the Sedun team with six successes and three assists. Three less than Anto Grgic (in 33 matches) and Gaëtan Karlen (32). But unlike his two teammates, the former French international has exclusively scored, and passed, in the last eight crucial league games. Without forgetting of course his two additional goals scored from the dam against Thun.

Last two complicated exercises

«This contract extension is anything but a surprise for me, comments Gabet Chapuisat. Even if he is no longer the player we knew when he joined Young Boys in 2014, he remains a safe bet for a club like Sion. The first happy with this decision of the president must also be his coach, Marco Walker, who had the merit of giving him a chance to show that his scoring qualities were intact. An opportunity that his predecessor, Fabio Grosso, had strangely refused him.»

Former player then coach, Gabet Chapuisat has however a little doubt about the ability of Reunion Island to chain matches. «I think it will be difficult for him this season to confirm his excellent end to the championship. In any case, the coach should know how to give him rest periods even if the competition will be less physically demanding since these 36 matches will be spread over ten months instead of the eight last year. That said, if I had been the sporting director of FC Sion, I might have chosen to trust two good young players rather than an old one. Even if, I repeat, I fully understand this decision of the Valaisans to bet one more season on Hoarau.»

“The coach will have to know how to grant him rest periods even if the competition will be less physically demanding since these 36 matches will be spread over ten months instead of the eight of the last exercise.”

Guillaume Hoarau said it over and over again, sometimes with an understandable hint of annoyance, that he did not appreciate that we regularly mention his age. Remains at 37 years and after two last seasons where he could only play 17 then 22 matches, there is doubt about his ability to play a lot.

Answer next May

A physical trainer who has worked in the Super League does not hide it. «I do not know Guillaume Hoarau personally, he explains, but it seems obvious to me that he cannot, ni should not, be treated like an average gamer. In agreement with the staff, he will have to choose his matches and give himself extra rest because it is logical that at his age and with his recent physical problems, he will not be able to field 36 matches at a high level. We must not neglect the difficulty for his body and his joints of having to evolve on different playing surfaces throughout the season. But if he manages his efforts well, Hoarau will, I am convinced, still be able to make the difference, even if he is no longer the dominant striker he was with YB.»

As to whether Christian Constantin was right to grant an extension to his savior, it will be necessary to be patient. «We will not know until the end of the season if the president has made a nice move», proclaim our two interlocutors.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending