Alexandre Ménard, the 49-year-old coach from Cholet, recently made his first return to Le Mans since 2017, a place where he spent 19 significant seasons. His Boulazac team, propelled by an outstanding performance from Hugo Robineau (33 points and 7 assists), put up a fierce challenge against MSB, with the final score not fully reflecting the intensity of the match. Following the game, Ménard shared his heartfelt thoughts during a press conference.
He expressed deep gratitude, stating, “I owe everything to Le Mans; it was my first home, the first professional team that placed its trust in me. This includes key figures like JD Jackson, my former head coach, Christophe Le Bouille, the MSB president, Vincent Loriot, the sports director, all the administrative staff, and Antoine Mathieu, the current assistant coach and former youth coach, with whom I’m very close. I am immensely grateful to them and always will be for launching my career and having faith in me.”
Ménard recalled his time fondly: “I hold only good memories from my years here. My son was born in Le Mans, and we lived here for ten years, participating in European cups every year. It almost feels like a completely different lifetime, as those seasons truly felt like they counted double. I still have many friends who reside there.”
Reflecting on the emotional aspect of his return, he added, “Naturally, there’s a lot of emotion both before and after the game. However, during the match, there are no sentiments; we are opponents, of course. Le Mans will forever hold a special place in my heart as a fantastic chapter that contributed immensely to my growth.”
