In football, no plan or project can be completed without conviction, but the hazards are the daily life of the staff, which despite all the will to triumph is hitting stronger. It is a fact that every coach takes into account in his season programs. Each choice has its importance, its repercussion, its purpose. En Avant Guingamp breathes the soul of football, but struggles to compete with top 4 clubs. A season that promises to be hectic for the Breton club, led by Sarah M'Barek.

An atypical club

From Saint-Brieuc SC / FF (1971-1999 / 2004) at the Briochin Stadium (2004/2011) to the En Avant Guingamp (2011), the club of the West of France had to face many changes during his career in Women's Football.

Champion of the D1 Feminine in 1989, the club then play the roller coaster, until going down in D2 in 2005. The club bounced back the following season by finding the D1 and finishing 6th in the standings. Before remaking the elevator within the championship of the elite.

Since the EA Guingamp has had its best seasons in 2014 and 2015, before suffering a previous difficult season, with a place of 8th and a relegation over the head.

As Sarah M'Barek explains, the club is coming out of "a difficult season but during which" the team "has been able to feel a lot of emotions, and especially to have the joy of [saving] before the last day." A fact that can be explained by several acts. Indeed the coach explains with lucidity the reasons for this, by having "badly started the season" and having "missed luck, since four executives were affected by significant injuries" and were therefore "distant" land for a long time: Mainguy, Plaza, Le Bihan and Dafeur! " For the former player of the France team "it's really what was lacking, because the group is already young but suddenly the team really lacked experience and frames to claim a different place!"

The former Blue also explains that "it's the first time" she played "the maintenance as a coach and it was the first time for several players too!". Before continuing "Now, play the maintenance is something that is learned, which is preparing in any case, which is matured". The club after having achieved "a very good season 2014/2015", coach and players were "not at all ready psychologically!". But in this difficult moment, En Avant Guingamp reacted before it was too late, making "a good second half of the season". Today, the whole team and Sarah M'Barek are coming out of this 2015/2016 season! In the end, she explains that it was "therefore a bit of bad luck and lack of experience" while highlighting that the "group managed to escape" from this passage.

Find your guideline

A friable club that struggles to convince, sometimes even fighting for his place in D1. Guingamp will once again face a complicated season, will be put to severe test against the three promoted size: Marseille, Bordeaux and Metz (who already knew the D1).

But the club can count on his coach, Sarah M'Barek, the quiet strength, a real pillar for the young Breton team, who will lead the club for the fourth season, in a row.

The former player puts forward the fact that the club has "certainly the youngest group of the championship". She adds that the management of the "club invests and gives the means to the young players to reconcile studies and sport!" Thanks to this, Sarah M'Barek "decided to leave the place to the players from" their "own formation (six U19), to create a club spirit, whose values ​​transpire and are conveyed every day." But "to supervise these young people" the team will still "need managers, more capped players, players whose motivation and desire are flawless and who are keen to accompany these young people and help them to access the level. " A real mental coaching to push all the players in the same direction, that of the success of the club above all. To achieve this, Guingamp has "put in place a dual project both academic / academic / professional and sports to allow the players to be able to train every day, but also to think about their personal life and their future . " But the staff of the Breton club faces a flight of his talents as Eugenie Le Sommer, or Griedge M'Bock more recently.

To overcome this, Sarah M'Barek says that despite this their "ambition is not affected," the club has "want to do well" and it is fighting "to keep the players who have the club spirit, who have values ​​that we defend and this is indeed the case of Salma Amani and others. " The staff gives them "the desire to stay" so far "it's not always easy, in the face of competition from other clubs." Just like the last departure, that of Clarisse Le Bihan, but the coach says that his departure "is not an end in itself, it is the law of sport!" Returning to the "very good memories" she "will have lived at the club", she "gave a lot for this jersey," she says. Sarah M'Barek therefore understands "that some players need to see something else after a while," but the staff had "anticipated a possible departure," even if he "tried to hold it!" In sum, the club is trainer of some of the best players in the championship, but struggles to find his place in D1 to keep his talents.

Tap into the resources

But to overcome this lack, Sarah M'Barek was able to strengthen with the arrival of Marine Pervier Nimes, as the Nigerian international Evelyn Nwabuoku, or the center-forward Luce N'Dolo Ewele, from Val d'Orge. Strategic recruits, which fit very well with the Guingampais workforce. New players, who will have to prove themselves to help keep the club in the elite and aim higher.

Because this season in addition to having to face big competitors from the previous season, the EA Guingamp will also rub the promoted this season. With hindsight, Sarah M'Barek knows that "the level of the championship is certainly higher than that of last season". But the coach believes in his "team", "certain that the difficulties encountered last season will allow to be stronger". As the saying goes, "it is in difficulty that we learn the most," as Sarah M'Barek also points out: "we have learned and we know what we have to do to avoid finding ourselves in such difficulties! "

"The arrival of Bordeaux, Marseille, Metz in D1" allows the elite "to have beautiful posters and certainly attract a new audience." But the Breton coach "does not apprehend the matches" against these three promoted, she "on the contrary already want to play" because she believes in his "group!"
At two days of the start of the championship, and after several weeks of preparation, Sarah M'Barek tells us that the preparation "went very well overall, despite a very difficult match against Juvisy (defeat 7-1 ). " According to Guingamp coach, "the team is ready for the championship." A conclusive preparation also vis-à-vis the "new" recruits who "were able to quickly integrate" into the workforce. Which gives the staff "good conditions to work well!" The native of Chaumont concluded that "the group wants to do well," the club "really starts a new cycle, it's good for everyone!". And to conclude that "only the competition will judge the level now!" She says.

Before finishing our meeting with the coach of D1, we wanted to know the state of mind before facing, a second time, after the preparation match, the club Essonne. "It's up to us to play a serious game against Juvisy," she says. Knowing that the club will have "a difficult start to the championship with three games against contenders for the title or at least a European place". So, we will have to "pick up some points and show that we exist and that we will have to rely on us."

Photo: EA Guingamp