For nearly three decades, “Sersou” has been the voice of sport on France Bleu Hérault. Today at the MHSC, the one who rocked several generations of Pailladins looks back on the four Coupe de France matches that have most marked his career as a commentator.
I have always loved this period of the season when I made the lift between professionals and amateurs. Overnight, I could go from a stadium of 40,000 people in Ligue 1 to the edge of a District lawn.
When I started my career, at the same time as the birth of Canal +, football was still very different. At that time, I would step over elastoplasts and slip on tiger balm, when I could do the interviews in the locker room. It was a blessed time, at a time when players still spoke with their stomachs. There was a lot more emotion, more authenticity.
1. Montpellier – PSG (February 10, 1985)
This is my first Coupe de France match in comments, in Alès. It was intermibable, it had lasted more than 3 hours 30 minutes, between extra time and penalties. I also believe that it is Franck Passi who misses the last penalty for Montpellier.
I was at Radio France for less than a year, I had left without assistance on the air. It was a hell of a exercise for me. I was just starting out in the business, so more than three hours of non-stop broadcasting is long and very intense (laughs).
? “Very disciplined, very diligent, hats off …”
Sersou’s debrief #OLMHSC pic.twitter.com/oIJ4FkOcsc
— MHSC (@MontpellierHSC) February 13, 2021
2. Le Crès – Matra (February 15, 1986)
The merger between Castelnau and Le Crès had not yet taken place, it was the Entente du Crès which played this match at La Mosson. At the time, most of the players were former members of the La Paillade training center, who had not made it through.
That day, all of La Mosson was for Le Crès, facing Maxime Bossis’ Matra. I kept this match in mind because it was the first amateur team that I was following and which faced a big one. I remember that Montpellier Hérault were playing at the same time. At the end of the Crès match, they had sounded La Mosson with the radio commentaries of the Montpellier match.
3. St-Chinian – Rodez (November 26, 2001)
Two or three days before the match, I interviewed President Gérard Rocquet and went to see the players in training. When I arrived in Saint-Chinian, everyone took care of me. It was almost too much, it was touching. And then comes the day of the game.
As always in those years, I find myself pulling my France Telecom cable for direct. After 80 meters, I sit in front of the only grandstand that there was in Saint-Chinian. They had put a little platform on which we could sit at most two or three. I found myself in the middle of nature, with the vines behind my back, I was alone in the world.
I sat on my little suitcase to attack the broadcast
I sat down on my small suitcase to attack the broadcast and at one point, an officer came around the stadium to bring me a chair, live. We were exchanging signs, I ended up not even watching the game for a few moments (laughs).
What was exceptional that day was that President Rocquet invited me to eat with the players before the match. When I arrived at the restaurant at noon, there was no one left. They had eaten at 11 am to be ready. The owner of the restaurant recognized me and told me he was aware, that it was offered by the club (laughs).
After the meeting, the Saint-Chinian players came to see me. They had heard me during the whole match since I was at the edge of the field, igniting me like a pig being slaughtered. At the end, they kindly offered me a box of wines.
And since they were qualified, they invited me to the pizzeria. I stayed with them until midnight. I spent an exceptional evening, a real breath of fresh air. Humanly, it’s one of my greatest memories on the microphone. I will remember it all my life.
4. ASPM – Colomiers (November 20, 2005)
This match is a very big moment for me. The day before, I was at a Montpellier match. Sunday morning, I take the plane to Orly and a few hours later, I find myself in Puissalicon or Magalas, I don’t know exactly. When I arrived with the Radio France logo on the car, it was something.
Everyone was happy to talk about the club, it was their moment. The spectators had deployed and written on a huge bed sheet at the entrance to the stadium, to put pressure on Toulouse. What especially struck me that day were the conditions for the broadcast of the match.
The best place I had found was the roof of the locker room. The spectators then made me the short ladder to climb on
Needless to say, there was no press gallery, nor digital access. As we were still working on phone lines, we had to unroll 50 yards of cable in the hope that once plugged in I would be in an acceptable place to watch the game. The best place I had found was the roof of the locker room. The spectators then made me the short ladder so that I could climb on it.
I found myself commenting on the game with my legs dangling over the players’ heads as they came out of the locker room. The funny thing is that on the roof of the locker room, there was also the stadium DJ. He arrived with a sound system, I think he could have woken up all the dead in the region. It is a wonderful memory. I am a native of the country, to live a match like this, it was exceptional. That’s why I love the Cup, for all these stories. “
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