Volleyball: new president, new coach, new workforce… In 2023, all-new, all-beautiful Spacer’s Toulouse?
The Toulouse volleyball players have changed face(s) to try to reconnect with the play-offs of the first division of the French championship. State of play before the start of the championship, Saturday October 2, in Cambrai (8 p.m.).
Kerihuel-Duflos, the new hitch
After fourteen years at the presidency of Spacer’s Jean Azema gave way to Yann Kerihuel this summer. Even chosen for Stéphane Sapinart, in office since 2017 and replaced by Patrick Duflos at the head of the technical staff.
The end of an era and the beginning of a new common adventure since the new president offered Duflos, champion of France with Tours in 2019 and former renowned international smuggler, a (very) long-term contract of five years. A rarity in this environment. Both men will be judged on results. Sports for Duflos and intensified for Kerihuel who aims to “keep this family side but also help the club to arm itself with the tools essential to any professional club”. “Everything is going very well, we are in phase. Yann discovers this function and we send his desire to move the club forward” believes Duflos. The latter will be associated with many decisions since he is destined to occupy, within two or three years, a position of General Manager.
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Spacers are ready!
A renewed and “balanced” workforce
Six departures – including those of Gijs Jorna, the former captain, and Nicolas Burel, the locker room manager – for four arrivals: the Toulouse workforce, too, has moved a lot this summer. The smuggler Maximiliano Chirivino, whom Duflos was already training at Sète last season, has been promoted to captain of a group where only five players remain from last season (Pothron, Sene, Santucci, Cagliari and Nack-Minyem). Central Nikolay Kartev (27) – “very efficient in the block” according to his coach – and receiver-attacker Deivid Motta (34) – “very complete” – will bring their experience.
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The young Brazilian receiver-attacker (or sharp) Thierry Jaguszewski (21) could meanwhile be the nice surprise of this transfer window thanks to “exceptional physical qualities”. Tom Heptinstall (22), also able to cover both positions, has been arrested for three weeks following the discovery of a heart abnormality. Investigations are ongoing. “There is a good mix of experienced players and young players with great potential and this will encourage healthy competition within the group,” Duflos is satisfied. Some elements of the training center (D’Hollander, Assani, Abboub) could also have their say during the season.
Ambitions: objective play-offs!
Finalists in the French championship in 2017, Toulouse have never participated in the play-offs since. Worse, for six years they have sometimes even surfed dangerously with the red zone. A sad series which the club ardently wishes to put an end to, hence the many changes made above. Confident after a successful preparation (6 wins in 7 friendlies), the Spacers “want to get involved in the fight for the play-offs” says Duflos.
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“On paper several teams are better equipped but we have arguments to put forward. I have the impression that we are ready and that we will be able to do great things” also wants to believe the technician. From a more global point of view “the championship is very homogeneous and we saw during the preparation that everyone was able to do well” sums up the former smuggler who still quotes “Montpellier and Tours” as favorites for the title.
Cambrai, starting point
Wink of the calendar, the Toulousains will begin their adventure against the same opponent as last season. A bad memory to erase since Cambrai had come to win at the Palais des sports (3-1). “It’s a very hot room with lighting that is not very good” warns Duflos who is necessarily wary of this first test against a “very renewed” team and in particular the sharp Latvian Hermans Egleskalns with whom he was champion of France in 2019 in Tours.