On 6 May 2007, Patrice Annonay made history with Paris Saint-Germain Handball as part of the squad that won the Coupe de France against Aix - the club’s first ever trophy. Over the course of eleven seasons, the Parisian goalkeeper experienced it all, from that first piece of silverware to multiple league titles.
Over the seasons, Paris Saint-Germain Handball’s current goalkeeping coach has witnessed the emergence of Nantes as a new rival in the title race, giving him the opportunity to reflect on how his approach to preparing for matches against Nantes has changed since he was a player.
“It’s different in terms of the energy I’ll be bringing to the two goalkeepers. I’ll leave their personal preparation to them; what I provide is more focused on the tools and the way I’ll analyse the opposition’s shooters to give them the information.”
These clashes against The H regularly produce hard-fought battles; the two sides have never made a secret of their ambitions. Be it in the league, the Coupe de France, the Coupe de la Ligue, the Trophée des Champions or even the Champions League, there have been many memorable encounters.
Patrice Annonay recalls two in particular: “I’m thinking of the Coupe de France quarter-final we won on penalties at Coubertin last year, with immense joy at the end, but above all the league match we won a few weeks later. We’d built up to that match all week, and we managed to overtake them in the standings; we rose to the occasion.”
“As a player, I always enjoyed playing against Nantes, because those matches were always fiercely contested. They’re real battles.”
The main task for the capital club's former goalkeeper is now to prepare Jannick Green and Mikkel Lovkvist as thoroughly as possible. The latter's first season has been more than impressive, as he boasts the highest save percentage of any top-flight goalkeeper (34.24%).
It’s a long-term project for Patrice Annonay, and one that could prove decisive for this crucial match against Nantes: “Preparation isn’t just about this week; it’s about the whole season. First comes physical preparation with the fitness coaches, looking to meet their needs, then there’s a lot of game simulations to reassure them about what they can do and provide feedback. You can’t change everything, as every goalkeeper has their own style, but you have to try to make them even more effective for this match.”
This match against Nantes is sure to be a turning point in the campaign. A win would see the capital club clinch their 13th French league title, and doing so in a venue as iconic as the Accor Arena would be just as memorable. However, this change of venue is throwing a slight spanner in the works for Patrice Annonay and his players as they prepare for the match.
“We don't change our preparations if we’re playing at Coubertin. However, we’re lucky enough to be able to train at the Accor Arena before the match, which I believe is a very important factor for the goalkeepers in terms of getting their bearings with the defence and the goal. I think the squad will be keen to make the Accor Arena their own, psychologically speaking, so they can put in the best possible performance on Wednesday.”
