[Montréal United]

Time to fire up the Cauldron as the season is upon us.

In the following day, I'll recap the off-season (not much happened other than a few crisis, a new manager, ridiculous transfer rumors...) and preview the season.

[Montréal United]

Schedule for the Ligue 1 season
(Before PPV changes and winter problems hit again...)

sam 05/08/06 1re journée Saint-Etienne - Sochaux
sam 12/08/06 2e journée Monaco - Saint-Etienne
sam 19/08/06 3e journée Saint-Etienne- Nancy
sam 26/08/06 4e journée Saint-Etienne - Lens
sam 09/09/06 5e journée Sedan - Saint-Etienne
sam 16/09/06 6e journée Saint-Etienne- Auxerre
sam 23/09/06 7e journée Rennes - Saint-Etienne
sam 30/09/06 8e journée Saint-Etienne- Paris-SG
sam 14/10/06 9e journée Lyon - Saint-Etienne
sam 21/10/06 10e journée Saint-Etienne- Le Mans
sam 28/10/06 11e journée Troyes - Saint-Etienne
sam 04/11/06 12e journée Saint-Etienne- Toulouse
sam 11/11/06 13e journée Nantes - Saint-Etienne
sam 18/11/06 14e journée Saint-Etienne- Nice
sam 25/11/06 15e journée Bordeaux - Saint-Etienne
sam 02/12/06 16e journée Saint-Etienne- Lorient
sam 09/12/06 17e journée Lille - Saint-Etienne
sam 16/12/06 18e journée Saint-Etienne- Valenciennes
sam 23/12/06 19e journée Marseille - Saint-Etienne
sam 13/01/07 20e journée Saint-Etienne- Monaco
mer 24/01/07 21e journée Nancy - Saint-Etienne
sam 27/01/07 22e journée Lens - Saint-Etienne
sam 03/02/07 23e journée Saint-Etienne- Sedan
sam 10/02/07 24e journée Auxerre - Saint-Etienne
sam 17/02/07 25e journée Saint-Etienne- Rennes
sam 24/02/07 26e journée Paris-SG - Saint-Etienne
sam 03/03/07 27e journée Saint-Etienne- Lyon
sam 10/03/07 28e journée Le Mans - Saint-Etienne
sam 17/03/07 29e journée Saint-Etienne- Troyes
dim 01/04/07 30e journée Toulouse - Saint-Etienne
sam 07/04/07 31e journée Saint-Etienne- Nantes
sam 14/04/07 32e journée Nice - Saint-Etienne
sam 21/04/07 33e journée Saint-Etienne- Bordeaux
sam 28/04/07 34e journée Lorient - Saint-Etienne
sam 05/05/07 35e journée Saint-Etienne- Lille
mer 09/05/07 36e journée Valenciennes - Saint-Etienne
sam 19/05/07 37e journée Saint-Etienne- Marseille
sam 26/05/07 38e journée Sochaux - Saint-Etienne


First thing noticable is that the schedule is much better balanced than last year when we had a run against all the european teams one after the other.

[quentinc]

!!!

I was thinking of starting this.

Let's make this thread beyond huge, so they'll be forced to give us a forum

[SportBoy333]

I read somewhere online that Glasgow Celtic want to sign Piquionne. Your team hasnt really made any impressive signings so far. I think you guys are looking at mid table as of now.

[Allez Lyonnais]

Hautcoeur looks like a good pickup to me. Sable-Hautcoeur combo looks decent in the middle.

[Montréal United]

Originally Posted by Allez Lyonnais

Hautcoeur looks like a good pickup to me. Sable-Hautcoeur combo looks decent in the middle.

Hey, no trolling!!!

Oh, wait that's a compliment...


Hautcoeur is indeed a nice pickup. A good rotation player needed to complement the midfield.

[Montréal United]

Originally Posted by SportBoy333

I read somewhere online that Glasgow Celtic want to sign Piquionne. Your team hasnt really made any impressive signings so far. I think you guys are looking at mid table as of now.

Well, I wouldn't mind if Pique goes.

As far as our recruitment goes, there's no way Les Verts can compete with the big boys for stars. What we're looking for is good pros who are about to burst into stardom or looking to rebound after a bad career move. Overall, it is a solid recruitment that will improve the quality of the group.

I'll post my comments on the new boys in my summer recap post coming up soon.

[Kevin Alexander]

Originally Posted by distrunner450

!!!

I was thinking of starting this.

Let's make this thread beyond huge, so they'll be forced to give us a forum

Yes!!!

[Montréal United]

Here we are...

The top five 2006 summer topics

1. The battle at the very top : Caizzo vs Royemer
2. Baup out, Hasek and Rousey in
3. The Sablé saga: Toulouse, Marseille or nowhere?
4. Zokora, going but where?
5. Transfers markets follies


1. The battle at the very top : Caizzo vs Royemer

This story didn’t get much press outside the St-Etienne region, but it is a big one. Of course, what we know is mostly speculation, but here’s the gist of it.

The St-Etienne structure with its investors had Caizzo at the top… or shall we say over the top. A very public figure with his declarations to the fans in last year struggle, he had his clic in power.

However, tensions arose with the manager Baup. Now, who’s right or wrong? I guess we’ll never know. Did Caizzo inder Baup’s work? Did Baup ditched the club for Toulouse unofficially way back in the winter months? That debacle led to a poor end of the year and changes had to come.

Romeyer, Mister moneybag in the organisation, took the opportunity to increase his powers and, thus, St-Etienne now have 2 co-presidents at the top.

How does that make it the biggest item of the off-season???

Well…

a) it influenced the naming of the new manager
b) it’s a powder keg… It’s bound to blow up as Caizzo, Mister Public presence, is the exact opposite of Royemer. That could lead to another crisis in management which pegs Les Verts back another few years.

2. Baup out, Hasek and Rousey in

After the disastrous end of the season & the poor displays on the pitch, something had to be done… or was it already done???

[Pure speculation]
Some St-Etienne fans accuse Baup of:
- Telling Les Verts’ direction that he was going to Toulouse come season end sometime during the winter.
- Sabotaging the team result by doing a subpar job in the last few months
- Sabotaging the locker room spirit by blaming the direction for his job situation in order to create some sympathy.
- Once in Toulouse, tried to buy disgruntled players (either Sablé, Piquionne or Feindouno).
[End of speculation]

Anyway, out went Baup after one good year and a second horrible one.

But who would succeed him ? One again, rumors flew left and right… Jacques Santini, Luis Fernandez, Alain Perrin, Laurent Blanc…

The only real serious one in the bunch was Fernandez, but he became the first victim of item #1 on this list. Royemer basically said no to Caizzo’s man. Fernandez accused on his radio show Aimé Jacquet, France’s 98 manager and ex-Vert, to have killed his hopes by saying to the directors that Luis “wasn’t right for Les Verts”

Out of left field came in Hasek, with only a average job done in Strasbourg as an highlight. The new manager installed a new sense of discipline to the squad. Piquionne even commented to the press how things really had changed between the Baup relax approach and Hasek’ one.

However, Hasek didn’t come alone. Laurent Roussey came along. Roussey was Lille’s Claude Puel righthand man. An ex-Vert also, Roussey wanted a new chanllenge. So how is moving to similar job a new challenge? Time will tell or is Hasek already walking on eggs with his successor already in house…

3. The Sablé saga: Toulouse, Marseille or nowhere?

Ah Julien Sablé… what a nice saga in a few months !

Sablé, the perfert counter-mercenary of football, was loyal to Les Verts even with the sirens calling him to some greener pitches elsewhere. A year ago, he was celebrated as he signed back on with Les Verts instead of leaving on a free transfer.

Les Verts’ capitain truly was the perfert image for the Ultras of St-Etienne.

How do time change??? Well…

After the poor end of the season, Sablé developed what can only be called a man-crush for Baup. Furious after his departure, Sablé visited the Toulouse installation and was subject to a transfer bid from Baup’s new team. That transfer was declined… I wonder why??? Hum, let’s say the direction didn’t want to make Baup a parting gift.

Disgruntled even more after that incident, in came some trade rumors. Lyundala, l’OM striker wanting out for Sablé, who could then join his hometown’s club and love of his youth.

Sablé was more than ready to go, but something went wrong. Lyundale just didn’t want to join Les Verts. Oups… Back to square one.

In a recent interview on Football365.fr, he praised his father and especially Royemer (again new implication from item #1) to have helped him regain his belief in Les Verts. Also, a subtile jab is made bt Sablé toward Baup, which he defended after the season, as he states in relation the sacking: “in these stories, nobody truly is clean”

Where will this go? Nowhere for now. However, a poor start to the season from Julien will lead to boos from the Ultras in the kops, which would make him again disgruntled.

Thus, the importance of a good start for the Hasek/Roussey regime.


4. Zokora, going but where?

One of the most obvious tranfers of the summer was that Didier « Maestro » Zokora was leaving Les Verts.

After one incredible season his first year, he also suffered from the team’s poor display. With the World Cup approaching so did the rumors.

Having been granted his exit by the direction during the winter, in came Tottenham with a bid. Why Tottenham of all teams??? Don’t they already have numerous midfielders???

Well, one name: Damien Comolli.

Comolli was a St-Etienne staff member in the 2004/05 season coming in with the new management. He also had a fallout with Caizzo’s man (another reason for item #1), but did one magic trick in recruitment before he left: he brought Zokora with him from Belgium.

From Skyports.com

"I listened to an offer from Arsenal, but decided Tottenham was the club I wanted to be at. One of the big things was that Tottenham really showed that they wanted me. That really pleased me.

"Kolo Toure and Eboue are friends of mine, and of course it would have been nice to play with them - but I really wanted to go to Tottenham.

"I was impressed by them and I know Damien Comolli, their director of football. I was very impressed by what they had to offer."

Zokora admits that he was ultimately swayed by Comolli, who first took him to France from Belgian side Genk, but was also drawn in by the prospect of playing with the likes of Aaron Lennon.

"Comolli came out to speak to me in Germany and told me what a great club Tottenham is," he reflected.

"He was a strong influence for me because he took me to France in the first place. That wasn't the only reason though, by any means. I chose Tottenham because it's a great club.


However, before the transfer was made official, rumor has it that Chelsea, also “lacking” some worldclass midfielders, bid a much higher amount.

So, Zokora is a Spur. Good luck Didier and thanks for your effort.

With such a sudden void in the team and new money, fans wonder only one thing: Who’s coming???

5. Transfers markets follies

First up, the ones going out.

• Fred Mendy: used to a lucky charm in our first season up, but then Baup stopped playing him. Why? Who knows… Anyway, was a free transfer this summer and chose to join Bastia. Good luck Fred.

• A. Yahia: announced as versatile defender… or better word to say he’s not good anywhere. Joined Sedan

• Nicolas Marin: loaned in the Mazure transfer of summer 05. Never good enough for L1. Will try again with Sedan.

• Seb Mazure: this one hurts… He was supposed to continue his stellar play from Caen after his transfer, but never worked out. Wasn’t a Baup guy (his purchase is linkedto Caizzo’ boys going over Baup’s head). Going back to Caen to regain his magic. Too bad…

• H. Postiga: yes, the one in Portugal’s squad in Germany… Never made a great impression to warrant a definite transfer. Only 2 goals after his winter mercato arrival. Another “great” job by Baup…

• B. Basto: a true Baup guy. Brought in as a stop gas mesure, he didn’t survive Hasek’s arrival.

• Ech Chergui and Kamara: youngster would did make it up to the first team. Kamara got his chance, Ech wasn’t as he was deemed to small. Out to Châteauroux and Sète. Better luck out there, boys.

• Hellebuyck: Traded against Landrin to PSG. He was in his final contract year and didn’t want to extend. He made a media gaffe leaving saying that for the first time ever he truly chose where he could play. Nice thought for Les Verts who rescued him to bring him back to the bright lights after his career suffered when he was cut from Lyon’s squad.

Coming in… or how to start rumors.

Pavel Nedved, Jan Koller, Trezeguet, Luyindula and so many others lesser known players where linked with Les Verts during the silly season.

The cold reality is St-Etienne is not a huge club on the transfer market and can’t afford wages of star players. It is much better suited to:

A) Jump start a failing career (Hellebuyck, Feindouno, Piquionne, Camara)
B) Give some lesser known player their chance to shine (Zokora).

So, let’s meet the new boys:

• Geoffroy Dernis (from Lille): Left sided midfielder. Played into Lille’s rotation last year with 21 games. Decent prospect. His use depends on Hasek’s scheme, which will see in action soon. Brought in thanks to Roussey’s connections. “B” category signing.


• Daniel Bilos (from Boca): Played one year in Boca (33 games – 5 goals) after transferring from Banfield. Another left sided midfielder, but more an offensive threat. All depends on Hasek, but he can line up also with the forwards. “B” category signing from our contacts in Argentina. Will he adapt? We’ll see, but as an example Piatti, the other Argentine, seems ready to explode on the scene this year after adapting to his new setting last year.

• Hautcoeur (from Le Mans) : a hard blow to Le Mans. He is a defensive midfielder with a huge heart. A nice rotation player to have. Will benefit from Loic Perrin’s injury. Also, a “B”

• Landrin (from PSG): Brillant at Lille, bombed in the capital. Nice possibility to rebound. His versatility will help on the right side on midfield. Category “A” recruit, let’s say that having Roussey in house sure helped to convince him that his future was with Les Verts.

• Ilan (from Sochaux): One job only… score goals. Remember that Piquionne was the high man with a whopping 5 league goals.

What coming before the window closes: a right back to challenge for first team action as it looks a weak spot. Lots of talk about Chalmé, a Lille (surprise!!!) player with only one year left on his current deal. However, Lille doesn’t budge and is asking too much for Les Verts’ liking.

Bonus summer story:

Perrin… or no luck at all.

Loic Perrin, the new star of the youth scheme, is once again hurt after tearing up his second knee after injuring the other one not so long ago. Hopefully, he’ll bounce back to his form which was a breath of fresh air in last year’s poor season.

[Montréal United]

Matchday 1

Association Sportive de Saint-Etienne - Football Club de Sochaux-Montbéliard

The opponents

Sochaux, now led by Alain Perrin, look to rebound from last year missed year that started all wrong as tensions between ex-coach Guy Lacombe and the president Plessis ended costing Lacombe’s job.

The summer saw the return of Bréchet and the addition of Leroy. Also in, a brazilian touch to replace Ilan (now qualified for St-Etienne) via Denmark as A. Santos was purchased. Will he step up to the league caliber? Time will tell.

Les Verts news

• After some legal problems between his old clubs, Ilan is now qualified to lead Les Verts’ attack this Saturday.

• Loic Perrin is out for sometime with his knee operation

• Matchday 1 is a curse for Les Verts with the last victory coming in 1991


Probable line-up

(a nice guess as it’s Hasek’s first official game in charge)

Janot

Diawara --- Hognon --- Camara --- Ilunga


Feindouno --- Landrin --- Sablé --- Dernis


Piquionne --------- Ilan

Prediction: 1-0 as Bilos comes up from the bench and becomes Les Verts’ new instant idol.