Didier Tholot and Ilyas Chouaref met journalists this Thursday for the traditional pre-match press briefing, 24 hours ahead of the match against Grasshopper. It was an opportunity to discuss the forthcoming match, as well as the international break.
Here's what to take away from the press conference:
Didier Tholot, on the international break:
"Some players needed a mental break. We've been asking a lot of them since the start of our preparations. The break did us good. The camp in the Vallée de Joux enabled us to continue building the group. We've also instilled the will to win in all kinds of activities. The match against Saint-Étienne was also interesting, as it enabled us to come up against a team from a different league. We've learned some positive lessons.
Didier Tholot, on the match against Grasshopper:
"We're not the favourites for the match. We're going into it as outsiders, but we're willing to give it our all. At the end of the game, only one team will still be alive. It's going to be complicated, and we may struggle at times. We've studied Grasshopper over 4-5 games. We have what it takes to put them to the sword. We'll have to take advantage of the slightest weakness by playing with our guts, but also with our heads. Our game plan is precise and we'll have to stick to it.
Didier Tholot, on Liam Chipperfield's rise to prominence:
"Liam is a great find. It was a proposal from our sporting directorate, but I approved his arrival. When he first arrived, he had a problem with his volume of play, which is normal after a period without a string of games. He's an intelligent player who has integrated perfectly into the group and is a pleasure to work with. I'm very happy with his progress, and it's totally deserved for him."
Ilyas Chouaref, on the start of the season:
"The start of the season is going well, with a first-place finish to show for it. We had to put last year's catastrophic season behind us. Team cohesion is good, everyone gets on with everyone else and we're moving forward together. I've never mentioned the possibility of leaving. I fell in with this club and I want to be part of its comeback.
Ilyas Chouaref, on his relationship with the coach and his role on the pitch:
"Didier Tholot helps me a lot. He teaches me to keep my feet on the ground and concentrate on the game. This season, my role is slightly different from last season. I'd already played in this position when I was at Châteauroux. Despite the low number of goals scored, I remain confident that we'll be scoring more soon. We're working all week to find the right solutions offensively.
Ilyas Chouaref, on his dribbling skills:
"My dribbling skills have been with me since I was a kid. I never really worked on my dribbling, it just came naturally. I'm happy to dribble. I don't look at my opponents before games, but I work on instinct when they're in front of me. Now, you mustn't overdo the dribbling and, above all, it has to lead to something afterwards to help the team."
Sion - Grasshopper, 8.30 p.m. tomorrow at Tourbillon!
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