EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW : CHRISTOPHE PARRA – COACH OF OM FÉMININ (english)

After OM Féminines’ second win in as many games for Division d’Honneur (DH / D3) Championship’s second day against U.S. Thoroise (8-1), its coach Christophe Parra was kind enough to accept a telephone interview. An opportunity to debrief the game.

Christophe Parra does not conceal that the match left him with real satisfactions, but also with some slight drawbacks, despite the victory and the amplitude of the score :

" We had a first half of quality [4-0 at halftime], a very serious one. The girls applied themselves to following the guidelines we had determined and worked during the week : the desire to project oneself forward, to circumvent the opposing bloc, to show mobility. Defensively too, it was serious, with great seriousness here again. I could find everything we had done at training. At the same time, I would say that now and then the girls "recited" the lesson too much. It lacked a bit of madness. I try to make them understand that we set a framework, setting up an animation, but they must bring their own creativity and initiatives within this framework. It is they who have the key to turn the predetermined pattern into life. But overall, yes, it was a half of very good quality. "

Okay, so what about the second one, OM scoring four more goals and taking one on the way ?

" In the second half, I saw some relaxing, as it had been the case already at Mouans Sartoux last week (a 5-3 win, after leading 5-2 at half-time). There was a little less seriousness, too much going for the easy option. We played less on the width and therefore less stretched the opposing bloc. "

Can we blame any tiredness with the training rate increased to three a week this season ?

"No, I don’t think so, not in this game. We had a very high quality working week, with a lot of investment on the part of the girls. They respond very, very well to the expectations. But they still have a deficit of football culture. "

This summer, OM recruited several players. Are you satisfied with the new ones [some of which were absent against Le Thor, such as the two internationals Lea Rubio (A) and Amandine Blanc ( U17)] and with their integration ?

At the human level, no problem, they have all been welcomed in the best way by everybody, and the atmosphere in the group is really great. At the playing level, they must continue to integrate the scheme, it is the priority. But it has been going very well so far.

Speaking of priorities, what are they in terms of playing ?

We need to find the fluidity in the game, better coordinate the moves, improve automaticity in certain phases of play, but as I said earlier, the framework should not restrain them. All this is set within a plan : Recovery + Conservation + Progression + Imbalance the opposing bloc. This last point is crucial. It occurs when we reach the opponent’s 30-40 meters with, for instance, reversal side playing. That's when the girls must learn to show initiative.

The arrival of such a technical and experienced player as Léa Rubio is necessarily a plus ?

Indeed. Léa will make a very important contribution in midfield. There's no doubt she has a great understanding of the game, sees very quickly what to do, where to send the ball to, how to steer the game. Just like Amandine Blanc at the back, who is quite phenomenal. Her ankle injury is reaching its end, she resumes training on Tuesday and should be fit for the game next Sunday. We also have a new player in midfield who was quite dazzling against Le Thor : Charline Marcilly who comes from Gardanne. She came in into the second half at Mouans- Sartoux, and I made her a starter yesterday. She is our season beginning’s little revelation. We must not forget that other players are also absent at this time, as Coralie Chevalier or small and swift Laura Gouy who can bring a lot too.

In what place will play Anaïs M'Bassidje this season, she who can be forward as well as in midfield or behind ?

Left fullback. I need her at this place. Of course, she still has room for improvement to assimilate all the specific requirements of the position, but her technique, her ability to project herself forward, to make a break down her side, to eliminate opponents will be very useful to the team.

Will be Aubune, the current co-leader with OM after the first two days, a team which was the first realigned last season from the play-off to D2 access, your main rival ?

Perhaps, yes. OGC Nice, who also played the play-off, should be too. Aubune has in its ranks a remarkable striker, she is their plus.

The only think for me now was to thank Christophe Parra for his usual kindness and availability (and I do it again here), and wait for OM Féminines' next match on Sunday against Rousset, before making another appointment with the coach for a new telephone debriefing...

Interview made by telephone on 2013 September 23^rd by Philippe Serve.

©Philippe Serve – All rights reserved

Photo credit : OM.net