“They understood that without work, without guts, without heart, we would not succeed,” assures Jean-Louis Gasset after Toulouse – MHSC

Jean-Louis Gasset espère que son équipe a pris la bonne direction. MAXPPP – JEAN MICHEL MART

Montpellier coach Jean-Louis Gasset was satisfied with the players' state of mind after the victory in Toulouse this Sunday, January 26 (1-2), a match counting for the 19th day of Ligue 1.

Is it the victory of hope tonight ?

We are alive. We had achieved an exploit against Monaco.  We had to validate it. A point would have been a good thing since we haven't taken any since I've been here. It's been three months today.  And taking three points, the way we took them, especially in the second half when we pressed at the key moment, it feels great. Plus, it's our president's birthday, so everyone knew the gift he wanted. So we said we'll give it to you at 7 p.m.  And that's what we did.

Once again, you showed character, you were led, you managed to come back.

It's very positive. It's part of the package. We don't have the right, even if we concede a goal on a good shot, to lower our heads at that moment. So we continued to play. We made some more offensive changes. And the fact of equalizing left us in the game. And with our counter tactic, we left a certain doubt hanging.

Did this rapid equalization play a role in your coaching? Did it change the balance of power at that moment?

Already, we changed tactics after 30 minutes because we were behind everywhere and especially on the wings. We wanted to play in a diamond shape to be able to counter and we were forced to switch to two lines of four with Savanier under Tamari. We explained it well at half-time so that the players understood because we still have two young players. Whether it's Nzingoula or Chotard, they are young players. It's a system that we hadn't planned, as we live from day to day. We make the team, based on the players we have available. We have to do that, Saturday, in a 45-minute session. But it's true that the equalizer kept us alive in this match.

You are three points behind the first non-relegation place. You are in a dynamic with six points in two games. When you look at the standings, what does that inspire in you? ?

We have to continue. We knew it would be tough. We had to get the machine going again. Since 2025, apart from Angers where we missed our match due to emotion, we have done Lyon, we have done Monaco, we have done Toulouse. We are progressing physically, the players are going all the way. That's what I like, what they understood that without work, without guts, without heart, we wouldn't get there. Now, they are starting to realize that it will happen this way.

You are especially leaving last place in the standings. Mentally, it can have a symbolic role ?

Of course, overtaking a team is encouraging. Now, we know that there is at least one more to pass, and two if possible. But if we put this desire into it, we can have better days.

It's a goal that you set, to climb the rankings step by step at certain times during the season ?

That's life. You can't go straight to the elevator. You have to climb the stairs little by little. We had to have the joy of playing matches and, above all, of giving people hope. It was important.

A word on the absence of Armand Nordin ?

I was told that he was pending transfer. I told myself that if I had him on the bench, I would tend to want to bring him in. I talked with him because I don't think it's the right solution to take a player who risks leaving on Monday or Tuesday. It's not done yet, I was told, but it's practically done. With the players I have, I put back in the group players who were a little left out to make people feel that if we work well and we are in the right spirit, there is no definitive decision. If we don't behave or if we sulk because we are not a starter, I don't want them. I want people who are happy to be with us.

A word on Othmane Maamma's goal, it could do him some good?

I hope so. He is not yet at the top of his game, he may be two or three kilos overweight. But it will encourage him to understand that what we are telling him is for his own good. It is very good that he scored the goal with a masterful pass. But that he is at the second post and scores in the head, it is a sign of destiny. But for him, we must continue, we must not stop.

What can you tell us about this player that we know little about? He is a player who grew up in Montpellier, who was nurtured there with you. What are his main qualities and what is his state of mind like?

When I arrived, I didn't know him. When I arrived, he was injured. I listened to what the old guys at the club told me. Power, dribbling, madness. But if you're not physically good at football, you can't exist. The work was there, we treated the injury properly. And now, he's taking a step forward. I hope that giving us the victory will make him understand that we're right.

Could you consider him as a reinforcement somewhere at the end of your season? ?

Like Kouyate, like Julien when he comes back. Maybe the transfer window, we deal with the injured. I don't know. I told you, we live day by day. We lost Akor Adams, maybe Nordin tomorrow morning or Tuesday. We live day by day. When I arrived here, I didn't ask for a guarantee. I said I would do with what I had as players. And I said to myself, let's take the bus and leave.

Do you already have any news of Sylla who came out injured?

He had a little pinch in his adductors. The pitch was very greasy. Quite a few players started on rubber. Quite a few slipped. At half-time, we had to have a crisis. Because when you play a match with stakes like that, you're not in a living room in slippers. You put on your cleats and go into battle. But Sylla surely stretched something a little.