As rain dey fall for roof of dôme Éric Sikora for La Gaillette on Tuesday afternoon, Pierre Sage see am as sign say Friday go be sunny. Two years after him lose Coupe de France final with Lyon (1-2 against PSG on 25 May 2024), the 47-year-old coach dey ready to take second chance to crown Lens fantastic season, wey already see dem finish as vice-champion of France, and to confirm him personal rapid rise, wey see am win UNFP best Ligue 1 coach last week.
For Lens, wey never win this trophy before, the quest for the Cup get special meaning. Sage say, ‘I learn that when I sign my contract, and as joke, we say e go good to be the first generation to do am. As weeks pass, I realize say e be real anomaly. There be a gap, in fact. Today, we be the only French champion (in 1998) wey never win Coupe de France. We get club wey don dey for 120 years and wey deserve reward. We get generation wey do wonderful season and wey deserve reward too. So I think this be the right year.’
When ask if winning the Cup go make the season dream, Sage say, ‘No, dream season na to win double with Ligue 1. If we win, e go be extraordinary and historic season, but no be dream.’ Him remember the semi-final against Toulouse (4-1 on 21 April) for Bollaert: ‘The moment wey Lyon equalize. There be ball wey die, only Corentin Tolisso for Earth fit play am. He manage to put am back for field and Rémi Himbert score extraordinary goal with one touch (2-2, 90+4). I tell myself say we no get right to happy. That moment hard, but I must show good face to players. I tell dem one thing before penalty shootout: I tell dem say dem must suffer to win. Dem don suffer, but we go win. We go win, we go win. I repeat that maybe ten times.’
About Nice, wey go play for survival after the final, Sage say, ‘I prefer our preparation conditions to theirs. E be strange situation. For the directors of the opposite club, I imagine the choice clear (to stay up), but for the players’ heads, I think the choice be opposite. Because a title go follow you for your whole career, and their future, even near, no be guaranteed for Promenade des Anglais. As coach, I know Nice players go think like that. E go be dilemma.’
Sage no think say Lens go get complacent as favorites: ‘Honestly, from how this group react, the energy wey dem put daily, I no think we go make that mistake. And e no be because dem go whisper am for our ears until kickoff that e go enter our heads. The players really want to finish this magnificent season well.’
He say him dey impatient to see the Stade deFrance full of blood and gold: ‘That stadium represent many things for French football and for me. I get chance to watch 1998 World Cup final there, e be first time we become world champions, so I go like if e continue to be stadium of first times.’ When ask if him go wear suit or tracksuit, Sage laugh: ‘Tracksuit, always. The first person wey ask me that na Adil Rami, and at that time I answer say I get simple educator contract, no get coach diploma, that why I no wear suit. Today, no reason to change my habits or the team’s habits for this match. Next season, e go be different story, because I go finally get full Ligue 1 season under my belt.’
On leaving a mark on history, Sage say: ‘Marking history of a sport na to leave indelible trace on how you play, on what the team shows. If we manage to remember Lens 2026 like Lens 1998, then we don mark history. But e no limit to result. E be much more important than that. Because the means be noble and e be the means wey dem often remember. Very few results, at the end.’ Him add: ‘There be something wey dey drive us: to get team wey dey show something, wey dey represent the club, the region, and who we be.’
About him partnership with sporting director Jean-Louis Leca, Sage say: ‘Very, very good. We connect on building squad, on squad planning. We align on that. We leave space for young players. We both know say at some point we go need to sell players. There be something wey dey drive us: to get team wey dey show something, wey dey represent the club, the region, and maybe who we be at the end.’ When ask if him go still be Lens coach next season, Sage say: ‘I know anything fit happen, but despite everything, the intention to continue with the biggest part possible of this squad dey present. We must also know say we don do good season, and coaches often get associated with their team’s success. Things fit happen, but for now, the idea na to stay.’
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
