Happy not to be "has been" ("My speech is still going on"), Gérard Prêcheur appeared relieved this Friday evening at a press conference after the success of PSG against Real Madrid (2-1) in the Champions League .
The Parisiennes coach admits his satisfaction at seeing his team first in the championship and qualified for a European quarter-final.
He also sends his messages of encouragement to Didier Deschamps, Kylian Mbappé and Marcus Thuram, whom he knew at INF Clairefontaine, in view of the World Cup final on Sunday.
We saw you arms raised in added time, being the first to join the ultras.
How much of a relief is this win?
GERARD PREACHER.
It is a real satisfaction.
We had the game in hand at 2-0.
I found that we exuded serenity and technical mastery.
We even have the opportunity to take shelter.
But this goal restarts everything.
There could be a few questions… The players wanted it that way (smile).
It was good for the spectators, a little less for my heart.
Can we have news of Kadidiatou Diani, exit affected in additional time?
It's more cramps, I think.
We are waiting for the medical point but it is not the ankle.
This is an important victory for you...
(he cuts) It's a difficult time.
I am in restraint with you (the media).
But I expressed some difficulties on the schedules, the files, the late recruitment… It was a lot and we won a lot of hard-fought matches with a lot of effort.
I have the satisfaction of a job well done.
It's a feeling that feels good.
There have been periods of doubt and December is a very good month.
I'm going to try to be the most objective and the most calm: being first ahead of OL and qualifying for the quarter-finals is a very, very good performance.
"The players still adhere well to the requirements"
Sandy Baltimore once again showed his qualities tonight.
What did you think of his match?
You know, I had offered to make her play on the right.
She was hostile but I don't want to repeat myself.
There, she made a big match.
It's good for her.
And for me ?
Sometimes I ask myself the question… I am demanding with myself.
Taking a step back, I see that the players still adhere well to the requirements.
They have shown it in recent games and again tonight.
As in Lyon, PSG made the difference on a corner taken at the near post.
How do you work this?
From my long time in the national technical direction, we studied a lot of set pieces.
Almost 3/4 of the goals are scored from the near post.
I spoke with Jocelyn (his first assistant and his son).
I don't deal with set pieces.
I have nothing to do with it (laughs).
Except for directions.
At the start of the season, I said to the girls: stop climbing!
There was a period when we had a lot of corners without scoring.
He offered me this solution.
And it's been two games in a row that it happens.
And I would like to send a message to Elisa (de Almeida, the first goalscorer), I hope she doesn't mind me.
But that it is she who scores and who opens the doors to qualification, I am really happy for her.
It's a nice revenge because in the first match against Chelsea (1-0 defeat),
she was responsible on purpose.
So I'm happy.
“I understood that winning was a skill”
Are you a coach who talks a lot with his players?
I'll tell you something: we had 30 minutes of preparation for this match.
I will explain to you.
I'm talking about tactical work.
30 minutes !
How frustrating for a coach… Twenty minutes Wednesday afternoon on high control and finishing.
And ten minutes yesterday at the end of training on the pressing.
This is little.
So we compensate everything by video editing.
During the 48 hours of going green, we must have held 5 or 6 meetings.
To present Real Madrid, take stock of the victory in Lyon and three meetings in small groups.
We discussed a lot.
And I have the feeling that they listened well.
Can you tell us a word about Didier Deschamps and Kylian Mbappé, whom you saw at Clairefontaine…
(cuts) And I got Marcus Thuram!
The DTN did not want him to join Clairefontaine and I fought for him to join.
His father Lilian sent me a message before the start of the World Cup.
Deschamps is extraordinary.
He is the “winner” par excellence.
He wins !
I understood that winning was a skill.
Either we have it or we don't.
Didier Deschamps is the absolute example.
He has won everything as a player and as a coach.
Monaco, Turin, the Blues… I think we will win it.
What he does and what the France team does, I admire.
He's like Alex Ferguson and others.
Kylian, I know him well.
We had detected his abilities and his potential very early on.
The first thing, I say humbly,
it's that I thought his first quality was that he is as tactically and technically strong as he is fast.
He was already very young.
His development is perfect.
The France team is going to have a great match.
