AS Saint-Etienne : ASSE – The eye of Denis Balbir: “Aouchiche, full of promises” | ASSE News

Each week, Denis Balbir deciphers the news of the Greens and Ligue 1. Focus on Adil Aouchiche’s first steps with ASSE but also on the outcome of the Ruffier case.

“A week after losing in the Coupe de France final, AS Saint-Etienne resumed their friendly matches campaign with a victory over Girondins de Bordeaux (4-2). A match marking the successful debut of Adil Aouchiche in the green jersey. The former Parisian still had a bit of pressure but he scored a nice first goal. It’s good for him, good for the club. He can become the player AS Saint-Etienne was missing and Claude Puel will be the right coach to help him develop. Even though we already knew he had some qualities, it was good that he showed it immediately when he arrived. This will give him confidence. Its beginnings are really full of promise. If he’s got the right material, he can add a lot to this team.

“High hopes for the coming season”

Beyond that, and even if you always have to keep some measure during preparation, I like what ASSE shows. The match against PSG in the Coupe de France final (1-0 loss) reassured me. Even though it is very early to tell, I think we are at a turning point in Saint-Etienne. The Greens are coming out of a complicated exercise in 2020-21, there was an end to competition with the coronavirus … The club was really close to being in trouble. There, we are witnessing a real restart. During the preparation, ASSE scores a lot of goals. We see promising young people, old people who come back well after a disappointing season … Even if some are still a little inside, there are a lot more satisfactions than negative points. I hope this is one of the turning points for the club. Like when Brandao and Aubameyang landed together in Forez. I have high hopes for the coming season.

“The reinstatement of Ruffier, it is not worse”

In addition to the expected formalization of Loïc Perrin’s retirement, the news in Saint-Etienne was also punctuated this week by the club’s decision to reinstate Stéphane Ruffier and the open investigation into acts of hazing at the training center. For Ruffier, it is no worse despite everything we have said, read, write and think. Still, it was someone who was part of the executives. Saint-Etienne has already lost Loïc Perrin. A dismissal of Stéphane Ruffier in addition, that was a lot in a few days. It’s good that the club has made arrangements with their goalkeeper. You never know what can happen with Jessy Moulin. Although I have no doubts about his qualities and that he shone against Paris, he has never really come together at the top level. We do not know how he can react on a physical level. Better to have another option besides young Bajic.

Regarding history with young people, we will let justice do its work. The club is there to sanction. The hazing problems, the players who are beaten up… I find that lamentable. I think the sanctions will be exemplary but I do not put myself in the shoes of the leaders. Obviously this story makes a mark on the image of the Saint-Etienne team. It’s a real shame when the club has just made it into the Top 5 of the best French training centers… “