Starleague. “Reassured” by his management, the Raphaëlois, Raphaël Caucheteux aims for the podium of the top scorers

Elected in the first round and with nearly 51% of the votes cast! Abstaining readers and others disillusioned with politics, don’t run away, you are in our sports section and we are not coming here to bask you with the presidential elections. Or even announce the legislative elections. No, through this score, it is the result of another election that brings us. That of the player of the month for March of our Starligue, won a fortnight ago by Valentin Aman. In the lead at the end of a triangular which pitted him against the scorer of Fenix ​​Toulouse, Nemanja Ilic (38.6%), and the Raphaëlois goleador, Raphaël Caucheteux (10.6%), the Cristolian pivot will therefore have largely dominated the left winger of SRVHB. At least, at the polls…

Because this Friday evening, Caucheteux has a great opportunity to contest the result of this vote. To prove to voters that they were wrong. That they should simply have decided in favor of the one who has just climbed onto the podium of the top scorers in the championship and above all to preserve the continental dreams of the SRVHB, by equalizing against Istres. In short, that they should have chosen a candidate for Europe.

This title of player of the month of March which escaped you, is it digested? Or did you really care?

It’s a detail, I knew it’s complicated to win while playing at Saint Raph’. Because we don’t have many voters. If you look closely at these elections, it is often the players from clubs with a lot of supporters who win. But it does not matter, I prefer to be in the top 3 of the best scorers.

Top 3 that you have just integrated…

Yes, I am fulfilled, well mentally, and physically. Like “Jojo” Marescot who is also in great shape and who, I want to say, is one of the best pivots in the championship (Johannes Marescot scored nine goals against Istres). For my part, even if I have nothing to prove, I show that I am always present.

And in the thick of it, since since the beginning of the month and your operation on the left index finger, you’ve been on a series of thirty-four goals in four games. In the end, you have never been as efficient as since your broken left hand…

Above all, in the first part of the season, I played less because of the rotation with Drevy (Paschal, operated next Monday of the patellar tendon and whose season is over). And having thirty or sixty minutes of play is not the same thing. Today, I have more time and I may have set myself new goals for this scorer ranking.

Which?

To be on the podium. To finish third would be a great challenge. And I would also like to reach 2,500 goals (he is at 2,169 achievements, in 406 Starligue matches).

The other, more collective objective is Europe. Do you still believe in a European qualification at the end of the season?

Yes, it’s frustrating to only play with seven pros at the moment (read elsewhere), but I want the club to be European next year.

Your goal against Istres maintains this hope…

Yes, this goal gives us hope. But we will have to beat Créteil. And it will have to arrive fresher in the money-time (against Istres, the SRVHB led 27-22 in the 48th minute, before being caught and pulling away to grab a draw). This is also where the young players (from the training center) must understand their role. We are not asking them to score ten goals, but to maintain a rhythm so that we can return at the end of the match and have this moment of freshness in money-time. They may not have all understood it yet.

Some have tried too hard to show themselves against Istres?

It’s good to show off, but we’re looking for a collective performance. This is what (Claude) Onesta said at one time: “The replacements, you are there to give the old people a break.” However, against Istres, there are two or three situations of loss of balls, while there were other choices to be made.

We still feel you are much more reassured than during our last interview, which you granted us at the end of March, to tell us that you were worried about the future of the club…

Yes, it happened. I got answers in relation to our expectations. The presidents (Murzereau et Krakowski) came to talk to us, the City reminded us that it would be behind us, and that’s reassuring. Now it’s up to us.

–