He welcomes us in the room to the right of the main entrance to the Abbé-Deschamps stadium.
In the center, sits a huge photo of Jean-Claude Hamel, the late historic president.
While waiting for us, Jean-Marc Furlan re-reading a book weathered by time and which he often takes with him.
“Football and Humanism”, by André Ménaut, a former Bordeaux coach he considers his mentor.
"I like to think about football," explains the 8th Auxerre coach since relegation to L 2 in 2012. Beyond the break from the Coupe de France and the reception of OM on Wednesday, that who at 63 has four accessions in L 1 (3 with Troyes, 1 with Brest), explains why Auxerre remains a club apart.
Is there a recipe for going back to L2?
JEAN-MARC FURLAN.
Football is as complex as life.
In L 2, we must first create united human groups.
This has nothing to do with the L 1. We have to think about an identity, which is what our competitors in Troyes and Clermont-Ferrand do for example, which rely on a fluidity built on the long term.
In Brest, when we went upstairs, six or seven players had “the Furlan software” because they had known me from Troyes.
Does Auxerre have time to wait?
As sociologist Pierre Bourdieu said, "
in football, everyone has the impression of making intelligent remarks
".
The reality is more nuanced.
Auxerre has just spent several years playing maintenance.
This means that there is a huge deficit that cannot be closed in a few months.
Let's not be obsessed with the climb.
However, is there a greater L1 requirement here than elsewhere?
Do not ask this question (smile)!
Obviously, here it is impressive.
In relation to the history of this club, the public asks us for it all the time.
It is a colossal weight.
A colleague told me
You live with ghosts
.
Here there are photos of AJA's exploits all over the stadium.
It's too much.
It can inhibit players.
Without counting the weight of Mr. Guy Roux.
Exactly, does it help you?
He likes me but he has an oversized influence in the city and the region.
Guy Roux is a hero and a star.
Somehow it can penalize us.
I don't think he's aware of it.
He no longer comes to matches because he is very afraid of the Covid.
But sometimes he comes to training to explain life to me (smile).
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Politically, is it important not to be angry with him here?
Yes because he talks to a lot of people.
If we get angry with Guy Roux, it can get complicated.
But he appreciates me.
Sometimes he phones me for advice.
Auxerre is his whole life, you know.
Is Auxerre still a big club?
It must modernize.
The infrastructure is there, but the way it works must change.
Everything has evolved.
Getting the AJA back up is harder than for other clubs.
Is the Coupe de France match against OM important?
Yes because it allows me to concern my entire locker room.
We only have two competitions this year.
We're not going to let one slip away.
I told the players:
I want to win the Cup
(laughs).
Is there still a future in modern football for a club like AJA?
(Silence) Excellent question.
Football was originally for social and identity links.
Today, it is becoming a capitalist and mainly brings together financiers.
Football will not disappear, but football essentially made for the people may disappear.
There will be the football of the rich and that of the poor.
But in there, Auxerre can have a life.
We have a financier, Mr. Zhou (the majority Chinese shareholder of the club), who has the means to support us.
There remains a soul in Auxerre: I have known 14 clubs.
It is the only one where we meet supporters who do not live in the region.
It's fascinating.
You are mostly labeled as a good L2 coach.
Is it frustrating?
At my age, I got over this frustration.
I suffered because it is completely stupid.
Today, I have another meaning to my passion: the eyes of the players.
When guys tell me Y
ou have been one of the best coaches of my career
, that is more than enough for me.