‘The worst day of my career’ – Will Still embarrassed by heavy defeat

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·29 April 2024

‘The worst day of my career’ – Will Still embarrassed by heavy defeat

Stade de Reims manager Will Still has spoken out after his team’s heavy defeat to Lanterne Rouge Clermont Foot on Sunday.

The team suffered their third defeat on the bounce after losing at RC Strasbourg Alsace (1-3) and at home to Montpellier HSC (1-2) in the past weeks. This was arguably the worst defeat of the series, losing 4-1 at Stade Gabriel Montpied to a side rooted to the bottom of Ligue 1.

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Anglo-Belgian manager Still was left reeling after the game, lamenting an atrocious performance:

“We were catastrophic. Nothing went for us in the game, we got found out again and again. We come back into the game and then make the same mistake and concede the same penalty from absolutely nothing, and then it becomes a disaster! I don’t understand how we can commit error after error and not respect certain things. We worked on things all week, the players spoke amongst themselves and it produced nothing. Now, we have to show pride in the shirt and some self-respect. The whole world saw what happened, it’s disrespectful to the staff, the board, and especially the fans. I feel like such an idiot, it’s the worst day of my career, the hardest and the most difficult to accept.”

Still’s stinging words and despair were echoed by others, notably soon-to-be-out-of-contract captain Yunis Abdelhamid (36). The centre-back has recently learnt that his contract will not be extended this summer after seven years with the club:

“I am embarrassed. We didn’t deserve anything, I don’t know if I should say we lacked honour.. It’s all very well talking, having meetings, but you have to show it on the pitch! This is the worst we’ve been since I have been at Stade de Reims. We have to recognise that in the last matches we have not been at the required technical level. We are making far too many mistakes and now we play three top teams ( Stade Brestois, Olympique de Marseille and Stade Rennais) and we will have to show another side of us to avoid further embarrassment.”

Club president Jean-Pierre Caillot echoed his manager and captain’s sentiments:

“It feels like a nightmare. Every week, we say we’ll put things right and then it gets worse. We have already experienced this kind of end to a season and we will have to face the consequences. We know that there are weaknesses in this team and we will work to make things better.”

Coach Still’s position is safe for now, but there is no denying that this disastrous run of form needs to be arrested.

GFFN | Jack McArdle