In 2022 and 2023, Patrick Arlettaz’s USAP escaped during the accession play-offs against Mont-de-Marsan (16-41) then Grenoble (19-33) without changing anything in its playing philosophy. in two cases, the end of the seasons had been synonymous with extreme stress before an even more intense release. Now coach of the Blues attack, the 52-year-old technician, who also experienced relegation with the Catalan club in 2014 (as assistant), has agreed to hand over his keys to successfully tackle this final stretch.
“How do you experience the race to maintain yourself when you are a manager?
It’s a job that takes your head all the time, but when you play it safe, you’re obviously aware of the enormous stakes. A descent is something traumatic. It impacts everyone, from employees to supporters, including of course the players and their families. It really involves the whole club. The most complicated thing is not to tense up against more liberated formations. The pressure is enormous.
How exactly do we do it?
We need to know where we want to go and how we want to get there. You have to prepare for it early enough so that it doesn’t become too stressful. We must be reassuring and very honest about the situation. Above all, you must give your players a clear path, so that they have confidence and are convinced of the method. Now is not the time to change course. With Perpignan, we took the important gamble of getting through the game by being in control of the ball and possession. We had also prepared ourselves for the fact that we could not fight in every match and that we had to make choices.
“Everyone tells themselves that they are trying to keep up, but between saying it and digesting it so that it doesn’t affect your qualities, that’s the whole problem”
What is your view on the current race to maintain?
It’s very open. Every year, two or three clubs are always predestined to be around this level with also possibly one or two surprises. Today, it’s a little different with only one descent per season in Pro D2 over the last two years. USAP played the troublemakers and was able to settle in while all the other teams have been used to playing the Top 14 for a long time.
Only Oyonnax, promoted last summer, was more predestined to experience this situation. None of the other clubs playing the game had prepared to experience this before the start of the season. Montpellier could not imagine being second to last. Playing the game is psychologically tiring. It also takes confidence which is necessary to play matches. Everyone tells themselves that they are trying to keep up, but between saying it and digesting it so that it doesn’t affect your qualities, that’s the whole problem. The race to maintain is difficult but the accession barrier is even more terrible.
For what ?
The Top 14 club has everything to lose and the Pro D2 club everything to gain. The pressure is very unbalanced. It’s also terrible to experience during the match, especially because you are playing on the Pro D2 team’s field. And the analysis during the meeting is totally distorted. For example when we went to Grenoble last year, each time we did an interesting action without scoring, the public thought that our opponent had made a great defensive sequence. And conversely, when Grenoble made three passes and advanced twenty meters, the stadium had the impression that they had scored a 120 meter try. We then ask ourselves lots of questions.
Is the approach to this dam really special?
Of course. You must first digest the last match of the Championship which could perhaps have allowed you to finish twelfth. Then you must very quickly immerse yourself in this promotion match to stay in the Top 14. These weeks are terrible. In Perpignan, it worked out well for us but the group already had this culture of knockout matches and great pressure.
Who do you see finishing in thirteenth place?
I don’t make a prediction even if I have my own idea. I don’t want to get angry with everyone! (Laughing) Anyway, it’s very difficult to say. We will perhaps already see more clearly after the matches this weekend which will be very, very important. »
