AS Saint-Etienne : EXCLUDED GOAL! Fatsah Amghar (Rumilly-Vallières): “I would have liked to have a career like Adrien Ponsard” | ASSE News

Zapping Goal! Football club ASSE: the debrief of the match against Montpellier

Goal ! : Fatsah, you are only one match away from the Stade de France. Are you starting to dream of an achievement?

Fatsah Amghar: For us, getting to the semi-finals is already an achievement. Honestly, we can’t believe it! We know that to go to the final, it will be extremely complicated. But afterwards, it is possible. It’s football, we can dream. Before the match against Toulouse, I told the players that they were only 180 minutes from the Stade de France. They are now 90 minutes away. We’re going to play Monaco, an L1. It is a great satisfaction. We had to go all the way to the semi-final for that to happen … It’s true that I had a preference for PSG, but Monaco is also a great team. We will do our best to win this match.

You are from L’Horme, near Saint-Étienne. Do you still follow ASSE news?

Of course, I follow the matches regularly. I have been ASSE since I was little, my son too. I tried to go see the matches at Geoffroy-Guichard, but it was not always possible because we did not have the finances. This is my heart club.

You have evolved as an amateur striker in the region, without ever having had your chance at the highest level. Is it a disappointment?

Yes, because it was a dream to become a professional. Despite everything, I had a small career in CFA. Then I told myself that I was going to do everything to continue in the world of football. And that’s why I became a coach. Today, I am an amateur coach, but my goal is to get my professional diploma and to rub shoulders with this world one day.

Where did you start?

I was contacted by a club near Annecy, Cran-Gevrier, which wanted to recruit me as a player. At the time, I was playing in CFA 2 in Vaulx-en-Velin. So I landed there. They then offered me a job as a full-time sports educator. And that’s where I started to be trained as a coach. I passed all my diplomas. I have known all the categories in this club. Afterwards, at the senior level, I trained Saint-Julien and Cluses, in Haute-Savoie. Then, I arrived at ES Vallières in 2015 before the merger with Rumilly in 2018.

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“I was a big fan of Lubomír Moravcík. He was very technical. He is a player who marked me. Laurent Blanc too, and more recently I have always had a soft spot for Bayal Sall ”

Who are the players who have marked you the most at ASSE?

There are quite a few, it’s hard not to forget. I was a big fan of Lubomír Moravcík. He was very technical. He is a player who marked me. Laurent Blanc too, and more recently I have always had a soft spot for Bayal Sall. I also liked Etienne Mendy’s style of play. And I had also followed Adrien Ponsard because I had known him in the amateur world. We had met. I really liked his career because he was an amateur who turned professional.

Would you have liked to have a similar career?

Yes of course. I would have liked to have a career like Adrien Ponsard. He was an example because he proved that by leaving the amateur world, it was still possible to become a professional footballer.

You faced the Greens this summer, at L’Etrat, in a friendly match (4-1) …

It’s a great memory. We had planned to start our preparation at the beginning of July. In the end, we had the opportunity to face ASSE. So I contacted the players right away so that we could start a fortnight earlier, and prepare us a minimum for this meeting. We started at the end of June, it was quite an organization, but it was well worth it. We couldn’t refuse to play against Saint-Étienne! For the players, it will remain one of the best memories of their career because it is remarkable to play against a Ligue 1 team. Personally, I was at home. My whole family was there, even if it was limited because of the Covid … I have the video of the match and I will keep it.

Do you plan to stay in Rumilly next season?

Today, I am focused on the route in the Coupe de France. But I think it’s difficult to stay at the same club for a very long time. After passing the pro diploma, I hope to train higher. I have ambitions and then I am still a young coach.

Since you have been at the club, the club has been climbing the ranks.

This is my sixth season, and we went from R2 to N2, with three climbs. Unfortunately, we learned last week that the championship was definitely stopped …

Have you ever wanted to train at the ASSE training center?

So, I never applied. But it is sure that training the youth categories of a professional club, like the U19 or U17 for example, that would make you dream. If it could also be in Saint-Étienne … I would love, of course!

What is your view on Claude Puel’s project?

I think it’s an interesting project. There are some very good young players at the club. In the past, they haven’t always had the opportunity to show off. And there with Claude Puel who is a trainer and who trusts young people, it is a chance for them. Of course, there is always a balance to be had. When you play in Ligue 1, you also need some experience. It is very important to have a good mix between young and old. But for me, it’s a job that will pay off in the medium term.

As a former striker, what do you think of the season achieved by Charles Abi?

He is a player who scored against us in the friendly match this summer. I have the impression that it is difficult to cross a course. He doesn’t have a lot of playing time. Because he certainly hasn’t proven he can have more. At the moment, it is not very effective. And an attacker is judged on his efficiency. I think he still needs a little time to pass this milestone. But we don’t always have it, especially at this level. He may need to express himself elsewhere, to gain experience and come back stronger.

Wahbi Khazri is the fit man in recent encounters. He still has a year of contract left. Should the club keep it?

For me, yes. He is one of the talented players. He’s the kind of player who can make a difference at any time. He brings all his experience to the group. His skill in front of goal is remarkable. It’s still an important quality for a striker … I think Khazri can still bring a lot to ASSE. It is enough to see its current state of form. Now there is also the economic aspect which the leaders will certainly take into account, because it is the biggest salary of the club.

Romain Hamouma is coming to the end of his contract. Should ASSE offer him an extension?

Hamouma is a loyal soldier. He is also someone who has talent. He is in the top 3 of the best players in the workforce. He has always been exemplary. If his will is to stay, I would find it a shame to let him go. He brings.

Many Saint-Etienne supporters regret the departure of Robert Beric. Do you share the same feeling?

Yes, I am of the same opinion. He may not be a very attractive player, but he has always been efficient. It’s not the profile that I prefer, but it scores and that’s what you ask of a center forward. It has never been replaced, which is a problem. This is the kind of attacker that “Sainté” lacks today, because there is no real scorer in the team and a point of fixation as it could be. Beric, for me, is the best finisher ASSE has had in recent years.