Valenciennes

[Holmes_and_Watson]

4 hours ago, Convict Colony said:

Jesus this is even worse than us.

"In two home games, we had 31 shots on goal, 16 against Orléans, 15 tonight (Friday), for only one goal scored"

That can be a bit misleading. VA did have a couple of good opportunities. El Hadary's one stands out for me, and that might not even have made the stats. The woodwork was hit. But I think one of those was it falling awkwardly for Abi, who could only bobble it to the post, rather than it being a sitter.

Sample quotes:

Moulin:

“In two home games, we had 31 shots on goal, 16 against Orléans, 15 tonight (Friday), for only one goal scored. We had eight shots on target, they had three, and they scored two goals. I think we hit the post three times (twice actually). That sums it all up; we can’t win games like that.” Stéphane Moulin reiterates that he’s not a miracle worker: “I don’t know what to do. We’re working on finishing, we’re working on our passing patterns…”

“The coach is responsible for the results, so it’s my fault.” 

Landre:

“We’re disappointed, it’s a bit like the one against Orléans. We come up against teams that are incredibly efficient, they manage to open the scoring, and then it’s always more complicated, you have to put in more effort, open yourself up… "

VA's opponents are not "incredibly efficient."  Nor are they magically more clinical.

It's mid February. The only side in this league who has just finally decided on a squad, is VA. Never mind all the backroom stuff we heard was going on in that video, around recruitment. VA aren't neessarily playing their best team yet. They've just weeded out a number of the ones they don't want, and this is what's left.

VA are also the only team in the league to have just settled into a formation. It's been a front 3 for all of 3 games. And it shows. They have little clue, as yet, on how to play it.

No width for crosses to Abi. The right back is capable of pushing up, but doesn't often. The defense can't cope, if he does push up.

No incisive play centrally. Or anywhere else really. Moulin bemoaning all the shots, fails to take into account their circumstances. We've been a bit like that too. You might get a shot away. But if it's against a defence, who've been given all the time in the world to get into position, it's not going to have the best of chances.

VA made plenty of mistakes against Rouen. The pace of the game covered it, and allowed them to put their opponents on the back foot at times. VA made plenty of mistakes against Briochin. The slow pace of their game, and inability to force errors on the other team, cost them dearly. It was 72 minutes when I spotted a pass into a channel, for example.

Briochin were quite happy to play at VA's pace, then take advantage of the high defensive line. When VA made their mistakes, the visitors were in behind with a couple of passes. VA never wanted to stretch the game, and didn't come up with alternatives either.

Simple tactics. Not anything mystical as VA's despairing coach seems to believe.

Moulin can look at the few really good chances. But these are the exceptions in the play. Players need more of those to ensure wins. Not a random few, with lots of longer distances efforts not troubling the defences they meet.

Before I forget. A little shout out to Diomande. He's clearly wanting to do well, despite not being in the first eleven.

 

[Convict Colony]

Bro send your cv to sports republic as tactical consultant

[Holmes_and_Watson]

30 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Bro send your cv to sports republic as tactical consultant

They couldn't afford me, and I have zero tolerance for grifters. 🙂

[ChristopheVAFC]

Hello Friend's !

Today press:

Quote

National : « On ne fait pas peur en fait », le VAFC renvoyé à ses manques et à ses doutes - La Voix du Nord

National League: "We're not actually scary," Valenciennes confronted with their shortcomings and doubts

While the victory in Rouen certainly didn't make them a title contender, Valenciennes, still recovering, fell ill again on Friday with a 2-1 home defeat, their sixth loss of the season, this time against bottom-of-the-table Saint-Brieuc. The grim reality: survival is now the priority.

As he was substituted (79th minute), Gaëtan Courtet was booed off the pitch at the Stade du Hainaut, embodying the frustration of a crowd weary of waiting for a turnaround that never materializes. Frustrated and furious, the captain stormed to the locker room, tearing off his jersey in a fit of anger. This didn't go unnoticed, especially by the commentators who have been harshly criticizing him on social media since Friday. He apologized on Instagram on Saturday but will be sanctioned by the club for this gesture. It's the way things are when results aren't forthcoming.

Gaëtan Courtet was booed by the crowd as he left the pitch in the 79th minute. His visceral reaction did not go unnoticed. - Photo Christophe Lefebvre

The club's general manager, Yoann Godin, knows this all too well, as he tries his best to "keep a cool head" and weather the storm. He doesn't intend to part ways with Stéphane Moulin now, whose distress is understandable but also raises questions. "We'll have a meeting with the coach and Mathieu (Frison, the sporting coordinator), as we do every Monday. We need to be honest with each other and try to move forward together. The important thing is that the coach is with us and believes in us." »

Weaknesses

As exciting as it was, the 2-1 victory in Rouen, against the league leaders, achieved with unwavering determination, didn't make Valenciennes a potential champion. Stéphane Moulin is well aware of his team's weaknesses: "effective about once every five matches," capable of eight shots on target, as on Friday, hitting the woodwork twice, and scoring only one goal, in stoppage time. The stark assessment: "We're not exactly intimidating." And defensively, things aren't much better.

"The standings in this league based on a single match mean nothing. I said based on a single match. That's why there are so many erratic results compared to the league table." “Stéphane Moulin, on the eve of VAFC – Saint-Brieuc

The coach knew what to expect from Saint-Brieuc, the “false bottom” team determined to save themselves at all costs at the start of the year, and who, before unsettling VA on Friday (1-2), had held Dijon (0-0) and Sochaux (1-1). “The hierarchy of this league based on a single match means nothing. I said based on a single match. That’s why there are so many erratic results compared to the standings,” he observed the day before this latest defeat, the sixth conceded at home by his team, who are also the only ones to have lost, and twice at that, against Saint-Brieuc. What does this say about this team? Stéphane Moulin remains perplexed: “I have absolutely no idea… But it’s certainly not to our credit.” “

To make matters worse, Valenciennes, now 13th, saw QRM, the first team in the relegation zone, close the gap to seven points after their 2-1 victory over Concarneau on Thursday. The order of the mission has changed: “The objective is to secure our place in the league as quickly as possible,” insists Yoann Godin. This will allow them to prepare for the future with a minimum of peace of mind.”

[ChristopheVAFC]

Gaetan Courtet's apology on Instagram:

Quote

I feel it's important that I speak out after yesterday's match.

Throughout the game and as I was being substituted, I heard whistles and insults that hurt me. In that tense atmosphere and under the influence of frustration, I reacted to being replaced in a way I now regret. I should have remained calm.

I also want to clarify that I did not tear off my jersey. In the heat of the moment, I headed towards the locker room to quickly leave the pitch and calm down, but I understand that the image may have been misinterpreted.

In any case, I want to apologize to Valenciennes FC and all the club's fans.

Since I arrived, I have fought for this jersey and for this club, always striving to give my all in every match. Emotions got the better of me last night, and I regret that.

I will abide by the club's decisions and accept any sanctions that may be imposed. I now want to focus on the pitch and do everything I can to help the team during this important period.

 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Nonsense to have a go at Courtet. 

He had a poor game. Very poor, by his own standards.  

Fortunately, the rest of the team of world beaters, and their top level coaching staff, turned it round. Oh wait, they absolutely didn't. 

His error led to a goal. So he joins pretty much everyone in the team, who have already had individual errors leading to goals. Two of the new signings, just in the last few weeks.

Courtet has cut a very frustrated figure for a long time now. Previously, it would pretty much him trying to be everywhere to turn games.

Now, the team might have settled on a system with more up front. But he's still trying to be everywhere, in a side that struggles to identify how to set up tactically.  

His form, after such frustration, and in this set up, has also taken a knock. Not to mention the off-field things. 

The coaching team have to decide the roles they want from their players, and set the bar for them to be leaders. Given the choice, I'd rather have Courtet around than them.

[ChristopheVAFC]

2 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Nonsense to have a go at Courtet. 

He had a poor game. Very poor, by his own standards.  

Fortunately, the rest of the team of world beaters, and their top level coaching staff, turned it round. Oh wait, they absolutely didn't. 

His error led to a goal. So he joins pretty much everyone in the team, who have already had individual errors leading to goals. Two of the new signings, just in the last few weeks.

Courtet has cut a very frustrated figure for a long time now. Previously, it would pretty much him trying to be everywhere to turn games.

Now, the team might have settled on a system with more up front. But he's still trying to be everywhere, in a side that struggles to identify how to set up tactically.  

His form, after such frustration, and in this set up, has also taken a knock. Not to mention the off-field things. 

The coaching team have to decide the roles they want from their players, and set the bar for them to be leaders. Given the choice, I'd rather have Courtet around than them.

Personally, I don't blame my player because he's doing his best. Of course, many of our supporters expect more from him, want him to be more decisive and score more goals, because he's considered a striker.

Rumours also say that he has one of the highest salaries in the club and therefore, inevitably, he has to justify it.

He realised he had lost the ball on Friday and tried to make up for it and help the other players, but unfortunately our opponents scored a goal and so some of the crowd turned on him...

In my opinion, he's neither the best nor the worst. The problem lies elsewhere and we really need to find a solution to our issues with confidence, efficiency and communication...

Our players each have their qualities, that's undeniable, but it's difficult to understand why our players can't play at their level... That's the paradox of our team this season...

[FredVaFC59100]

Coach Moulin getting the boot. Hopefully Godin is next. 

 

[ChristopheVAFC]

2 hours ago, FredVaFC59100 said:

Coach Moulin getting the boot. Hopefully Godin is next. 

 

Yoann won't be leaving anytime soon. 😉

[Convict Colony]

3 hours ago, FredVaFC59100 said:

Coach Moulin getting the boot. Hopefully Godin is next. 

 

has this been confirmed ? seems strange to get rid now, surely um you need someone to at least see you through to the end of the season so the results don't get even more horrifying 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Convict Colony said:

has this been confirmed ? seems strange to get rid now, surely um you need someone to at least see you through to the end of the season so the results don't get even more horrifying 

Confirmed from official site

VAFC Press Release: Stéphane Moulin's Departure

VAFC and Stéphane Moulin have decided to end their collaboration, effective Tuesday, February 17. Assistant coach Patrice Sauvaget is also leaving his position.

Appointed first-team coach at the start of the season, Stéphane Moulin carried out his duties with professionalism and dedication. VAFC wishes to thank both men and extends its best wishes for their future endeavors.

[ChristopheVAFC]

Quote

https://www.va-fc.com/articles/32634

VAFC Press Release: Stéphane Moulin's Departure

VAFC and Stéphane Moulin have decided to end their collaboration, effective Tuesday, February 17. Assistant coach Patrice Sauvaget is also leaving his position.

Appointed first-team coach at the start of the season, Stéphane Moulin carried out his duties with professionalism and dedication. VAFC wishes to thank both men and extends its best wishes for their future endeavors.

Pending the appointment of a new coach, the interim period will be managed by Pierre Blois, coach of the VAFC reserve team, assisted by Rudy Mater, coach at the club's youth academy, who will be tasked with preparing for upcoming matches.

VAFC remains fully committed and united behind its team to approach this period with determination and responsibility.

Stéphane Moulin: "It is with regret that I must resign from my position." Despite the difficulties encountered, I persevered, but it's clear that the results are not satisfactory. Like the coaches who preceded me, I haven't been able to reverse the trend. Therefore, solely in the best interest of the club, I have decided to step down. I would like to thank the management who placed their trust in me, the staff for their welcome, and all the supporters of VAFC. I wish the players and the club all the best for the remainder of the season.

[ChristopheVAFC]

Unfortunately, this decision had become inevitable and almost inevitable...

While they had gained some ground with the victory in Rouen, the two home defeats, particularly against Orléans and Saint-Brieuc, proved detrimental.

We had sensed for some months now that communication between the coach and the players was no longer working...

It is up to the players to understand the decision made today by management.

The objective is to maintain the team's position in this National 1 championship, which will become Ligue 3 next year and become a professional league.

[ChristopheVAFC]

Stéphane Moulin is leaving the club along with his assistant, Patrice Sauvaget, and is being replaced by:

- Pierre Blois: currently the coach of Valenciennes' reserve team, which is currently first in the "Regional 1" league, the sixth tier of French football (our first team is in the third tier).

A product of the club's youth academy, he has coached many of the club's youth teams and has been in charge of Valenciennes' reserve team for the past two years.

- Rudy Mater: a Valenciennes native and former player for the club, with over 300 appearances for VAFC, he was, along with others, instrumental in the club's golden era between 2004 and 2014. He knows the club's work ethic better than anyone and will bring his experience to this team, which is currently experiencing some uncertainty.

They are appointed as interim coaches while a permanent replacement is sought.

Can Pierre be the new Tonda, just like you?

To be continued...

[ChristopheVAFC]

Quote

National : entre le VAFC et Stéphane Moulin, l’histoire s’arrête là - La Voix du Nord

National League: The story between VAFC and Stéphane Moulin comes to an end

Faced with a persistent lack of results and the looming threat of relegation to National 2, the relationship between VAFC and Stéphane Moulin has ended. The two parties decided on Monday to part ways by mutual agreement. This was officially announced by the club in a press release this Tuesday morning. The interim role, pending the search for a successor, will be entrusted to the reserve team coach, Pierre Blois.

The weather had cleared up early Tuesday morning over Valenciennes, but appearances can be deceiving. Rumors had been circulating since Monday evening that the relationship between VAFC and Stéphane Moulin was about to end. This was confirmed Tuesday morning, with the club announcing in a statement that both parties had decided to part ways amicably, meaning there would be no dismissal. The financial implications for the manager, who was under contract until 2027, remain unknown. In the statement, unusually, he explained that he had "decided to step down, solely in the best interests of the club." He thanked everyone, particularly the management, for the trust they had shown him.

He leaves, accompanied by his trusted assistant Patrice Sauvaget, just nine months after his arrival, despite the initial plan to build something with him, if not for the long term, at least for a period long enough to bring a degree of stability. That plan failed. Valenciennes is starting from scratch again, having realized that things weren't clicking.

On Saturday, Stéphane Moulin's job was safe…

The 2-1 defeat suffered on Friday against bottom-of-the-table Saint-Brieuc, their tenth loss of the season, clearly puts Valenciennes in danger of relegation (the first team in the relegation zone, QRM, is now only seven points behind if we take into account the one-point penalty imposed after the pitch invasion against Sochaux, a decision the club is still undecided about appealing). This is clearly unthinkable for the owner, Sport Republic, tired of losing money since taking over in the summer of 2023.

General manager Yoann Godin was still insisting on Saturday that Stéphane Moulin's job was safe. It's well known in professional football that it's often after offering this kind of assurance that a manager's job rolls. President Dirk Gerkens had first assured him of the SR group's support a week before Christmas, when the results were already far from impressive. During the winter transfer window, Stéphane Moulin got what he wanted: the arrival of new players (Charles Abi, Erin Airhiavbere, Bryan Passi, Quentin Daubin) to create the complementary skills he hadn't been able to achieve until then.

Pierre Blois to take over as interim manager

There has been some improvement since then (Bourg-en-Bresse, Rouen). But it has never been sustainable, as demonstrated by the defeats in Le Puy, against Orléans and then Bourg-en-Bresse, and the team has never shown any real signs of recovery. Faced with this situation, both parties concluded on Monday that it was best not to continue.

The club will therefore begin the search for a new qualified coach (the BEPF coaching diploma is mandatory to coach in the National league, otherwise fines apply). In the meantime, the interim role has been entrusted to Pierre Blois, who until now managed the reserve team, currently top of their group in R1. He will be assisted by Rudy Mater, who is in charge of the U18 team. Both will be on the bench this Friday in Paris 13.

[FredVaFC59100]

7 hours ago, ChristopheVAFC said:

Yoann won't be leaving anytime soon. 😉

It's a shame because he is the lead architect of the debacle.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

9 hours ago, ChristopheVAFC said:

They are appointed as interim coaches while a permanent replacement is sought.

Can Pierre be the new Tonda, just like you?

To be continued...

 

9 hours ago, ChristopheVAFC said:

The club will therefore begin the search for a new qualified coach (the BEPF coaching diploma is mandatory to coach in the National league, otherwise fines apply). In the meantime, the interim role has been entrusted to Pierre Blois, who until now managed the reserve team, currently top of their group in R1. He will be assisted by Rudy Mater, who is in charge of the U18 team. Both will be on the bench this Friday in Paris 13.

If the interim coaches don't have the qualifications, then I'm going with a "no" for your question. It would be SRsey to employ someone who is unqualified. And one of Will Stoll's prior clubs paid the fines, so they'll know about that.

This change was a while in coming. "Moulin" had been basically saying he had no idea to turn it round for a while. I thought he was holding on to get fired. I hope his assistant is just as happy to walk away, if there's no compensation.

It will be interesting if the new coaches start from scratch. Or if they keep the core Moulin had just decided on a couple of weeks ago. Pitfalls in both. In the first, chopping and changing leads to a lack of cohesion. In the second, the current core group helped their coach depart the club.

[ChristopheVAFC]

18 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

 

If the interim coaches don't have the qualifications, then I'm going with a "no" for your question. It would be SRsey to employ someone who is unqualified. And one of Will Stoll's prior clubs paid the fines, so they'll know about that.

This change was a while in coming. "Moulin" had been basically saying he had no idea to turn it round for a while. I thought he was holding on to get fired. I hope his assistant is just as happy to walk away, if there's no compensation.

It will be interesting if the new coaches start from scratch. Or if they keep the core Moulin had just decided on a couple of weeks ago. Pitfalls in both. In the first, chopping and changing leads to a lack of cohesion. In the second, the current core group helped their coach depart the club.

I don't know if the regulations concerning coaching qualifications are different in your country than they are here, but here, they can coach without qualifications but will be fined for each match (between €5,000 and €10,000 per match, I believe).

In interviews over the past few months, since October/November, we could sense that something was wrong, that his message wasn't getting through, that the players weren't buying into his approach...

He said he didn't have a solution, tried things that didn't work...

Our interim coaches come from the training centre, so there's a good chance that some young players will be called up. I think that Rento, for example, who is above the other players in the B team, could get some playing time.

There's no doubt that things will be different. Here's a press article about today's training session.

[ChristopheVAFC]

Quote

VAFC : après le retrait de Stéphane Moulin, Pierre Blois et Rudy Mater déjà à pied d’œuvre - La Voix du Nord

VAFC: After Stéphane Moulin's departure, Pierre Blois and Rudy Mater already at work

Once Stéphane Moulin's departure was confirmed, VAFC had to find an emergency solution internally to ensure continuity at the helm of the first team. They called upon Pierre Blois and Rudy Mater, two coaches from the youth academy, to take over on an interim basis. They led their first training session this Tuesday morning.

Four VAFC players (Gaëtan Courtet, Romain Thomas, Loïck Landre, Alexandre Coeff) are older than him, but that didn't prevent Pierre Blois, who led his first training session as head coach of the professional squad this Tuesday morning following Stéphane Moulin's departure, from asserting his authority. "When you win the ball back, I want you to be like dogs!" Things are moving very quickly for the young coach (31 years old) who was still in charge of the U17s a year ago. He had already served as interim manager for three weeks, but in an assistant role, working alongside Vincent Hognon, on whom he had made a strong impression. Promoted mid-season last year to head the reserve team, which he was unable to save from relegation to the Regional 1 division, he has now been recalled for a short-term assignment while the club searches for the ideal candidate: a coach holding the BEPF (Professional Football Coaching Certificate), which is mandatory in the National league under penalty of fines.

Rudy Mater at the service of "his" club

At the forefront, the man who told us in March 2025 that he loves learning will be assisted by a legendary figure, Rudy Mater (45 years old), the club's most capped player, for whom he played 389 matches between 2002 and 2014, and whose testimonial match drew 8,000 people to the Stade du Hainaut in May. On his social media, the former full-back, who coaches Valenciennes' U18 team, expressed his "pride" at having been chosen on Tuesday. "I thank the management for the trust they have placed in me. With seriousness and determination, we will maximize our work together to ensure a smooth, constructive, and forward-looking transition."

[ChristopheVAFC]

Quote

VAFC : sous l’ère Sport Republic, les entraîneurs valsent, déjà six en moins de trois saisons ! - La Voix du Nord

VAFC: Under Sport Republic's ownership, coaches are coming and going, already six in less than three seasons!

Pierre Blois is serving as interim manager at Valenciennes FC following the departure of Stéphane Moulin, officially announced on Tuesday. This makes him the sixth man in this coaching position, which has become a hot seat since Sport Republic took control of the club.

Jorge Maciel, Ahmed Kantari, Stéphane Mangione, Vincent Hognon, Stéphane Moulin, Pierre Blois… With Sport Republic, the coaches parade by… - Archive photos by Sami Belloumi, Christophe Lefebvre and Pierre Rouanet

At this rate, Valenciennes FC under Sport Republic will soon have nothing to envy in Waldemar Kita's FC Nantes, which has managed the feat of going through thirteen coaches since 2016… The British investment fund is now on its sixth in less than three seasons in Hainaut. And soon it will be seven, as Pierre Blois is only there to serve as interim manager following Stéphane Moulin's departure, finalized on Monday.

Moulin rather than Hognon
Sport Republic, the buyer of Valenciennes FC (VAFC), then still in Ligue 2, in July 2023, hastily appointed Jorge Maciel, a move that led to disaster. Brought in to extinguish the flames in December of the same year, Ahmed Kantari failed to do so, despite reaching and losing the Coupe de France semi-final in Lyon. Confirmed at the end of the season, the former reserve team coach was tasked with promotion but couldn't withstand the string of poor results. His assistant, Stéphane Mangione, had to replace him at short notice for two matches at the end of November 2024, while the club reached an agreement with Vincent Hognon. Under Hognon's leadership, the team made a spectacular recovery before collapsing in the final stretch, convincing the Valenciennes board that, once again, a complete overhaul was necessary. Stéphane Moulin, upon his appointment in May 2025, was there to build a long-term project…

Valenciennes coaches according to Sport Republic

July – December 2023: Jorge Maciel
December 2023 – November 2024: Ahmed Kantari
November – December 2024: Stéphane Mangione
December 2024 – June 2025: Vincent Hognon
June 2025 – February 2026: Stéphane Moulin
February 2026…: Pierre Blois

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 minutes ago, ChristopheVAFC said:

Four VAFC players (Gaëtan Courtet, Romain Thomas, Loïck Landre, Alexandre Coeff) are older than him, but that didn't prevent Pierre Blois, who led his first training session as head coach of the professional squad this Tuesday morning following Stéphane Moulin's departure, from asserting his authority. "When you win the ball back, I want you to be like dogs!"

 I'm looking forward to the new tactic: eleven players chasing after the ball, before urinating on the goalposts. 🙂