The Montpellier residents benefited from three days of rest to spend the Christmas holidays with family, but under surveillance all the same before going to challenge the leader Pau, Sunday December 28 (4 p.m.) at the Hameau stadium.
Three days of rest surrounded by two days of training, then a hint of the bus. This was the menu for this Christmas week for MHR players. “LMonday was water polo, given the weather. But we tried to put the players who had less playing time on the same level, explains Joan Caudullo, the Hérault manager. It was important and we have the means to do it safely. We worked from Monday on the game plan, on everything we are going to put in place against Pau, so that they have, during these three days off, the opportunity to know what they are doing.
For once, the players learned at the start of the week which ones were going to be affected by the trip to the Pyrénées Atlantiques. “We very quickly announced individually the players who could play and those who could not, so that they would feel concerned and be careful during the holidays, continues Caudullo. Then to start again this Friday, even if we know that it is always difficult. Last year we had the same type of week and we won in Clermont-Ferrand. So it works out quite well for us, when the staff works less.”
Weighing and GPS
Among the players, we therefore had to be careful with the Christmas meal because the scales awaited them on Friday when they resumed. But no bad surprises. “We had a physical program to do, they gave us the GPS to try to keep in shape a little bit”assures third row Lenni Nouchi.
“I’m not their father, they have the right to what they want, adds Joan Caudullo. The whole point is that they arrived in good shape. I think that in small doses, things like that, it’s interesting to share it with family, even if you shouldn’t enjoy it too much.”
The Montpellier captain admits not to have gone too far. “I ate diet, lots of green beans, he laughs… No not at all, we had a little fun, but we try not to overdo it too much. IThere was a bit of everything, foie gras, salmon, oysters, a bit of everything, I kind of forgot the menu, I ate a lot. The beans were decoration on the edge of the plate.”
“No need to be whipping fathers”
No fear, so at the time of the back-to-school weigh-in. “The staff had put a program in place for us to be able to eliminate a little bit of what we ate. I hope everyone respected it, but as a result, it allowed us to get rid of the surplus a little.”continues Nouchi.
“CThey are professional players. We don’t have to be whipping fathers for them to be motivated to want to stay in the top six places. It was quite positive. I didn’t sense any guys in physical difficulty, at least from what I saw in training just now.”Caudullo is still satisfied. Hoping that the sacrifices made this week will pay off on Sunday evening.
