This Thursday, December 6, the atmosphere could have been heavy at the Aube stadium, after a year which saw Estac move from 13th place in Ligue 1 to the red zone of Ligue 2. It has finally calmed down since the dismissal of Patrick Kisnorbo, the Australian strategist who had only 3 wins in 40 games. The interim staff, led by former international Alou Diarra, achieved the feat of restoring color to the team in a few days, with 2 victories and a rise to 13th position in the championship. “There was an exceptional state of mind,” admires David Guion. But the new Trojan coach warns; the club is not out of the woods. “We are very close to this relegation zone. Ligue 2 is a very demanding championship. It’s not easy when we see the clubs behind us. As long as we don’t have 45 points, I won’t be calm.”
Dismissed from Bordeaux on October 7, but officially free for a few days, the 56-year-old technician is impatient with the challenge that awaits him. “I am happy, enthusiastic, fresh and ready to bring something to the whole club and to my dressing room.” Very quickly willing to turn the page on the Girondins, David Guion intends to bring all his experience to the youngest team in Ligue 2, with an average age of 23. “Due to my coaching background, I am quite inclined to it,” underlines the man who was director of the Stade de Reims training center before taking charge of the first team. “I am convinced that we can be young, but also perform in the championship. This is what we did last season with Bordeaux, or with Reims before. There is no reason why we cannot do it with the young people from Estac.”
“A football that allows supporters to recognize each other”
In Troyes, he will also have to deal with the demands in terms of play and training of the City Football Group, owner of 12 clubs around the world including Manchester City. “I presented my game project on which we agreed very quickly. It’s a chance to have a group that supports Estac with its great experience and its great high-level skills,” underlines the new Trojan coach. But he intends to be also pragmatic with the City Game, this way of playing common to the Mancunian group. “You have to enter the Estac locker room to understand that there are things you can do, and others you can’t do,” he remarks. “The merit of a good coach is above all to adapt to the players he has, to put them in the best situations to flourish, and above all to help them progress for the benefit of the team, to cross levels as we progress through the game so that we can create emotions with our environment.”
Arriving alone at Estac, David Guion signed up for a season and a half, a short contract which allows both parties to gauge each other. He will work with the existing staff (without Alou Diarra, wishing to continue training the reserve team), taking the time to create links and see what the needs of outsiders are. Something to also think about recruiting new players. “That’s also why I wanted to bounce back quickly,” he explains. It’s much easier to arrive before the winter break, because if there are adjustments to be made, we can make them. We will ask ourselves the question following the 2 matches that we must have (Angers and Pau).”
