Jérôme Rothen Critiques Pierre Sage’s Communication Style

Currently standing third in Ligue 1 with three consecutive wins and six victories (with one loss) in their last seven league matches, RC Lens, managed by Pierre Sage, has become one of the season’s pleasant surprises. However, after the recent victory against Strasbourg (1-0), Sage emphasized that the primary goal for RCL remains avoiding relegation. “We need two more wins, so we’re on the right track. We were up against a direct opponent, and our goal was to secure our spot on the podium. Nevertheless, our main aim is to reach 35 points as quickly as possible, and then we can think about Europe,” he stated. This approach has drawn criticism from Jérôme Rothen.

“The communication is terrible. The tone is awful. It’s like Franck Haise. The problem is they put you to sleep during press conferences. Do less, but keep the energy. At the start of the season, if he had talked like this given RC Lens’s resources, and the issues Leca faced in recruiting players due to financial constraints, I wouldn’t mind. Saying you’re aiming for the lower part of the top table, being between 8th and 12th, as the Paris FC might suggest with different means, is fine. But sometimes, there are nice surprises, and things can turn around quickly. It feels like Sage has been around for years, and that’s great. But when you look at the current standings… Have you seen Lens’s schedule (Angers, Nantes, Nice)? After the Nice match, they’ll play Toulouse and face Auxerre at home. Excuse me, but they can win all those matches. Are you really telling us you’re playing to avoid relegation? I struggle with this hidden ambition. Just say it clearly,” he expressed in an interview with RMC Sport.