There was the risk of experiencing a complicated start to the season. Despite the quality of the squad, the loss of the final in the 7th match last April could lead to a difficult future, as was the case for Bienne last season after the final lost against Geneva. The departure of goalkeeper Connor Hughes, Swedish defender Christian Djoos and the injury of defender Lawrence Pilut did not bode well for a happy autumn for the Vaudois.
And yet. After 19 championship games, the LHC occupies a good second place. Competing in the Champions League, Geoff Ward’s men qualified for the round of 16. Despite some injuries, the Lions still found a way to advance.
If this start to the season may have surprised some observers, it did not upset sports director John Fust. “We have the same core, the same culture, the same staff, but we changed eleven players, which means we don’t have a hangover following the lost final,” he explains. Because that there is a new energy and that new players bring new dimensions to our game.”
But the Canadian-Swiss advocates humility and knows his sport too well to stroke his stomach: “I’m happy, but we haven’t created this separation in terms of the ranking. The situation is tight. There’s still a lot to do of work and this international break was good on a physical and mental level October was busy and November will be too and we know that it is the push until mid-December which is important. try to improve. There will be problems and you will have to know how to react to injuries. There are obstacles every week, but they are challenges that we like to have to overcome them.
After the season, John Fust and the staff analyzed the team and identified weak points. Adding new foreigners was a way to improve the group. “The only question that remains is: will the mayonnaise take hold,” explains John Fust. “But that’s also why we have confidence in our coaching staff.”
Very solid in the play-offs, Connor Hughes logically chose to try his luck in North America. To replace him, the LHC relied on a young goalkeeper duo composed of Kevin Pasche and Antoine Keller. A real risk, right? “It was a calculated risk,” replies Fust. “I believe that when you place trust in a player, he will perform better, because trust is essential. We saw the rapid development of Kevin Pasche. There was a risk of giving him more responsibilities, but with his personality I was ready to take that risk.”
Before resuming the championship, Lausanne hosts Geneva for the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League. Due to the Night of Lions scheduled for Wednesday, November 20, it was necessary to reverse the order of the matches. Better ranked, the LHC should have hosted the Genevans on the return.
This does not bother the sporting director who rather looks favorably financially on these matches against the Eagles: “As a budget manager, I am very happy that we fell against Geneva after three fairly long trips and dear. In addition, the sales figures for our home game are good.
And Lausanne can count on a numerical advantage on fire. With a success rate of almost 34%, the LHC power play is a hit. Does John Fust have an explanation? “There are several factors. Confidence, small adjustments, the freedom of coaching and finding the right chemistry. When everything works, it’s magnificent. Are we going to keep this level? Probably not, but we have to take advantage of it after difficult years in Lausanne. Everyone plays their role and we have several options.”
