Vincent Gérard: 'The best is yet to come'
On Saturday afternoon, Paris Saint-Germain Handball play host to Cesson-Rennes in their Liqui Moly StarLigue Round 4 clash. Before the match, our goalkeeper Vincent Gérard talked to us about the championship and his personal situation.
Psg.fr: Last week, you beat Créteil (32-36). Were you expecting such a tough challenge?
Vincent Gérard: Créteil have made a good start to the season, with reinforcements that are already proving good moves. So we expected it to be difficult. It's difficult every weekend. At half-time we were level, but we managed to extend our lead at the start of the second half, which made the game easier for us. But Liqui Moly StarLigue matches are always difficult. Even more so on the road, now that the fans are back in the arenas. It's more fun to play in front of people. It makes it harder for us, but we enjoy it!
Is this the kind of battle we can expect throughout season?
When you play in a league as tough as ours, you expect tough opposition. The more tired we are, the more difficult it will be. It's up to us to make the task as easy as possible.
On Saturday, you play Cesson-Rennes, a team that beat Nantes. Does that prove that any opponent can be dangerous?
With the return of the fans, the euphoria and the new season starting with fresh limbs, we mustn't take anyone lightly. We have already proved in the past that we are aware of this, but we must continue if we want to hope to win this championship. Cesson lost Mathieu Salou to Nîmes, but they have a very good goalkeeper, Joze Baznik, who is a strong performer. They are a tough team. They have a lot of players who know each other well and who have experience.
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You're going to be able to play against Louis Despreaux, who was at the Paris Saint-Germain Handball youth academy last season and who has already played with you. Is it a special occasion?
It's always nice to see our youngsters becoming part of a team somewhere. It's difficult to reach the professional level, especially in the Liqui Moly StarLigue. We'll have to remind him that this is Paris (laughs).
Some of the title contenders are already in slightly tight spots. Is that good news for you?
The season is very long! There are many opportunities to come unstuck. For the moment, we have three wins from as many games and our main rivals (Nantes and Montpellier) have already lost at least once... But there will be others, like Nîmes or Aix. We have to be wary of everyone. Everything can be lost in the final days.
You are saving at a rate of 50% (excluding 7m throws) this season in the championship. Is that a pleasing statistic?
I'm happy with the performances we're turning in, me and Yann (Genty). But once again, the season is long. We'll do the maths at the end. It's up to us to show that we are there and that we can help our teammates.
You've just had an excellent Olympic Games. Was it a dream come true?
When you play handball, you dream of the Olympics! I grew up watching our glorious predecessors bring home medals. I have also been around players who have won gold. The silver in Rio was nice, but there was still a sense of having unfinished business. To win in Tokyo, when we weren't expected to do that well, is a real satisfaction. It will stay with us forever.
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Your record of achievements is impressive as you have won everything. What do you have left to achieve?
I am very proud of my achievements. I also play to have fun and to just enjoy this sport that I love so much. When you look at Nikola Karabatic, who has won everything several times over, and the hunger for titles that he still has, I know that it is not finished. I tell myself that the best is still ahead of me.
This is your last season in Paris, before joining Saint-Raphaël. How are you approaching it?
Calmly! I want to enjoy myself at this Club and leave without regret. There are many of us leaving Paris, but we want to do it on a good note and make ourselves regret it. We want to have fun together. The goal is to win the EHF Champions League, but there are also other titles. When you play in a team like ours, you want to win everything.
Watch the first part of our interview with Vincent Gérard, on video.
(Credits: A. Gadoffre/TeamPics/PSG)