Claude Puel made the bet to bet on the youth for his AS Saint-Etienne. A challenge that involves risks, even if it highlights the pool of young excellent players who pass through the ASSE training center. But for a former executive of the Greens, a team that lacks maturity can experience significant setbacks.
ASSE, a too young team
ASSE had started his season in the best possible way, with three wins in his first three matches of League 1. With a workforce whose average age hovers around 22, the performance was remarkable but the machine seized up as autumn approached. Since his success on the lawn of the Vélodrome, against OM, theAS Saint-Etiennehas chained a draw and four defeats, the most recent on the ground of FC Metz (2-0). A setback that made observers jump, especially from Progress, believing that the Greens had managed to do worse than in their previous outing, in Geoffroy-Guichard against OGC Nice (1-3). In question, the bet of the coach Claude Puel to bet on the youth, much criticized in recent days. Columnist on Canal +, Pierre Ménès launched: “This is what Puel wanted, he will not be able to come and cry for having a team that is too young.” Words that a former Green corroborates.
Loïc Perrin criticizes his former club
Among the concert of critics after the defeat in Metz were added those of Loïc Perrin. The former Green, who retired this summer after 470 matches under the colors of his training club, told Telefoot his vision of things. “The solution is to have experienced players, said Loïc Perrin. I have often repeated that experienced players were important in a team for those moments. Even if there are very successful young people in Saint-Etienne, we saw it with the departures of Saliba or Fofana recently, with good results in the Gambardella Cup, these young people must be well supervised. ” For the ex-captain of ASSE, it is the lack of maturity and experience that the group of Claude Puel, a problem to which are added the many injuries in the ranks of Saint-Etienne. Pierre Ménès had also signaled it, regretting the departure of a player like Yann M’Vila in the summer transfer window. “It had started very well because when things are going well with young people, it is immediately euphoria. But when things go less well, you approach the tomb very quickly”, concluded the star columnist.
By Matthew