This Sunday RC Lens will sit on the bench of Brest Eric Roy, its former sports activities director. A possibility to recall that within the shadow of the immense work executed by his successor Florent Ghisolfi to take the membership to L1 heights, he laid a number of the first Lensois rebirthstones in L2.
When Eric Roy arrived at RC Lens as sports activities supervisor in October 2017 to exchange Jocelyn Blanchard, he discovered himself in the midst of what regarded like a subject of ruins. Whereas on the sting of the pitch Eric Sikora, appointed to exchange Alain Casanova, tries to straighten out a shaky facet responsible of a disastrous begin to the Ligue 2 season, new supervisor Lensois is decided to rebuild behind the scenes. The 2017-2018 winter switch window is his first. Not solely is he profitable with Brice Dja Djédjé and Alex Gersbach vying for persuasion, he’s decided to make sure the maturity of his group for the long run. One of many first is laid: he bets on Walid Mesloub, who’s recovering from a severe damage at Lorient. Six months later, he introduced Jean-Louis Leca and Guillaume Gillet to his facet. They type a contingent of managers which have been lacking and are capable of maintain the group collectively, spreading the mind-set essential to intention for Ligue 1. Similtaneously Jean-Louis Leca, Haïdar’s Massadio arrives. Each are nonetheless there immediately. At their facet are parts reminiscent of Fabien Centonze, Mehdi Tahrat and Yannick Gomis, who contribute to bringing the membership to the dam misplaced within the climb.
In the summertime of 2018, with Arnaud Pouille and the arrival of Philippe Montanier as coach, he constructed a strong workforce. He then feedback: Since my arrival on October 1, we’ve been engaged on the winter recruitment which was the switch adjustment window, but in addition on establishing the principle traces of the marketplace for this summer season. There was a staff to rebuild, and I wish to rebuild from scratch. We laid the foundations and stabilized lots on protection. Progressively, every part begins to fall into place. “The remainder, together with the end-of-season play-offs, Eric Roy is not going to expertise as sporting director of RC Lens. He left in April 2019 beneath PSE with out discovering an settlement with the membership to change his contract. Nevertheless, he left some presents for the long run, permitting his successor Florent Ghisolfi to begin a colossal job at a membership nonetheless beneath building, however already on much less dilapidated floor…
Frank Haise: « Eric Roy instructed me to remain »
As a result of he additionally introduced, due to his contacts on the facet of the Jean-Marc Guillou Academy, a sure Cheick Doucouré, who got here for the check originally of 2018. Again then, the 18-year-old had a variety of religion within the surroundings welcomed within the N2 group, coached by Franck Haise. The Malian was not alone: Salis Abdul Samed was there as effectively. At the moment, the membership may solely hold one. Cheick Doucouré will probably be becoming a member of Philippe Montanier’s group very quickly, however Franck Haise has already noticed Salis Abdul Samed, who the membership will proceed to comply with. Franck Haise took over as first-team boss in February rather than Philippe Montanier after Florent Ghisolfi’s sensible stroke… which might not have been attainable with out the conviction of the brand new Brest coach who did every part attainable to maintain the Belgian membership away as an assistant. Franck Haise confirmed this on Friday: ” Eric Roy is a part of a time when issues weren’t easy, once they needed to be rebuilt. We should not overlook that he’s a kind of who allowed the membership to maneuver ahead. I’ve at all times had nice contact with him. He assured me that after a yr within the reserve, regardless of requests, I stayed. » « I organized for him to stick with us as a result of I thought of him to be a wonderful technician. And a person has values that we discover in his staff commented echoing Eric Roy on the Brest facet, who felt the educator nonetheless had a lot to deliver to Lens if not the one who introduced him into the membership or the primary staff. .
His eyes had been sharp sufficient, for in his day the title of Jonathan Clauss first appeared within the small newspapers of Lensois. The French worldwide was enjoying for Quevilly-Rouen on the time and Eric Roy regarded into his case in 2018, with no follow-up, confirmed by then-Normans coach Emmanuel Da Costa. RC Lens will lastly recruit him with a finest time in 2020, in full swing in Bielefeld. Eric Roy has since returned first as sporting director at Watford and immediately at Brest, the place he resumes the teaching cap he held for a while at Good. Jean-Louis Leca, goalkeeper of Lensois, isn’t stunned by the trajectory of this champion: He has abilities. When it arrived Lens was nearer to the Nationwide and we made a barrage on the finish. He’s somebody with imaginative and prescient and has at all times been near the gamers. There are some individuals who have profiles that enable them to be a coach or sporting director, in a way a normal supervisor. After the discussions we had concerning the technical features, I knew he may return to his function as a coach. “And RC Lens must mess up their plans on Sunday to advance to the knockout levels of the Coupe de France.