After the first team's morning training session on Wednesday, Didier Tholot and Nias Hefti met the press ahead of Friday's match. Luca Pulici, the club doctor, was also on hand to answer a few questions about the heatwave and its effects on the body.
Here are the key points from the press conference:
Didier Tholot on his first two months in charge of the first team:
"I found a receptive group. The most important thing was to show humility and have an irreproachable state of mind. I think the players meet my requirements. There are still a few gaps to work on, but that's normal as we're still at the start of the season. The results are positive, but everything can go wrong very quickly. The slightest grain of sand can upset the machine. What I'm most proud of is having succeeded in creating a group. That was the basis.
Didier Tholot on the game against Stade Nyonnais:
"We're not looking too far ahead. We're focused on Nyon. Last week, we were put in trouble by Carouge, but we were able to qualify with some seriousness. We have good foundations on which to build. Today, I'm hearing some criticism about the attacking aspect, but that's the most complicated thing to put in place. Nyon are an aggressive team who press hard. It's not going to be an easy game, because they've put all their opponents to the test. The heat won't be an excuse. If you do your job properly, the outside elements don't matter.
Nias Hefti, on his arrival at FC Sion:
"I've been enjoying myself a lot since I arrived and I'm feeling good. My preparations have been very good and I'm in the right frame of mind. FC Sion is an important club in Switzerland. It's coming off a complicated season and I want to help it regain its place in the top flight. It's a club with big ambitions and it wants to play in the top flight. I'd hoped to get a lot of playing time, but I didn't think I'd get it so quickly. I'm still young and it's important to play. Personally, I'm very happy with my performances.
Nias Hefti, on the next two games (Nyon and Baden):
"I've played in the Super League and the Challenge League. The leagues are very different. In Super League, there's a lot of play. In the Challenge League, it's a war and you have to be present in every duel. We believe in our qualities, but in the second division it's never easy to play against newcomers. We'll have to be very serious.
Luca Pulici, club doctor, on the heatwave:
"When you exert yourself, your body heat increases. In addition to temperatures, there are several other factors to take into account, such as humidity and wind. These can act as barriers to the body's thermal regulation. We have tried to protect players' health by scheduling sessions early in the morning or in the evening. We also encourage the players to stay cool during the day and to drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration and overheating.
Stade Nyonnais - Sion, it's Friday at the Colovray sports centre at 7.30pm!
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