On the eve of the resumption of Ligue 1 McDonald’s in Angers (7:00 p.m.), the assistant captain of AS Monaco spoke at a press conference about this important match on matchday eight.
Return to the winning path. At the end of the October international break, the red and white Return to Ligue 1 with a trip to SCO Angers this Saturday (7:00 p.m.). To talk about this matchday eight of Ligue 1 McDonald’s, the first on the Monaco bench for Sébastien Pocognoli, Thilo Kehrer spoke to the press. 🎙️
Captain against Angers
This is not the first time and it is always a privilege and a responsibility. It is an honor to be captain of this team and it motivates me to give everything, both in my performance and in my personality, to achieve a good result.
Our conversations with him made us understand that one of the key words is intensity. This was also the case before, but in training you have to know how to balance this aspect. Sébastien Pocognoli is very active in his coaching style. He is a young coach and former professional player, so he is very involved in his sessions.
About the intensity of training.
It’s very intense, yes. We are waiting for everyone to return from the national team, but those who are here are motivated and want to give their best in front of the new coach. Our conversations with him made us understand that one of the key words is intensity. This was also the case before, but in training you have to know how to balance this aspect. Sébastien Pocognoli is very active in his coaching style. He is a young coach and former professional player, so he is very involved in his sessions, as are his assistants (Kevin Mirallas and Artur Kopyt). Personally, I appreciate it, because for us, the players, it brings a good dynamic.
Intensity. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/admAbRdqeX
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) October 14, 2025
Je tiens d’ailleurs à remercier, personallement et au nom de toute l’équipe, Adi Hütter pour ces deux dernières saisons et demie, pour tout le chemin parcouru ensemble! The joueurs and the staff ont apprécié travailler avec lui.
Thilo Kehrer on Adi Hütter
The change of coach
Inevitably, there are changes because they are two different coaches with two different personalities. I would like to thank Adi Hütter, personally and on behalf of the entire team, for these last two and a half seasons, for everything we have achieved together! The players and staff have enjoyed working with him and we should be grateful for what Adi has given us. In football all parties involved have responsibilities. On the field, the players did not perform as we wanted at the beginning of the season, so we all have our responsibilities! The results were not necessarily bad, but in terms of style and attitude, it was difficult for us to bring the same ingredients as the last two years. We know that it is so; Soccer is a sport that is based on results. But now we are motivated and eager to start this new adventure with Sébastien Pocognoli and his team, to work every day to put their ideas into practice.
The first words of Sébastien Pocognoli
He introduced himself, his staff, and his ideas. Then, we took stock of the situation we find ourselves in at this point in the season. He is precise and clear in his communication, allowing us to quickly adapt to his philosophy. The first few days are based on that. Finally, discipline is one of the points you want to implement. There are several things to work on, but the coach and his staff have given us the foundations, and discipline and mentality are part of them.
We are preparing for this match in the best possible way. Although on paper we might think that since Angers is in 17th place, AS Monaco should win this match, in reality it is not that easy, so we have to take this match very seriously.
Motivation against anger
We are very motivated because we know that in Ligue 1 every match is difficult and every result must be won. From experience I know that no game is a given and that we have to respect all the teams in the league. That is why we are preparing in the best possible way for this match. Although on paper we might think that since Angers is ranked 17th, AS Monaco should win this match, in reality it is not that easy, so we have to take this match seriously. (…) There was an international break, so the team is not complete yet and some only returned today. We’ll quickly see how we adapt, but it’s two weeks in which we have to get to know each other and even reconnect, but the team’s energy is geared toward that!
𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 ⚔️
🆚 @AngersSCO
🏆 @League1
📅 Samedi October 18
⌚️ 7:00 p.m. pic.twitter.com/7hiKpv4RRX— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) October 15, 2025
The frustration of not keeping a clean sheet
It’s not frustration, but desire. In modern football it is increasingly important to keep a clean sheet. We are working to achieve that goal and to achieve it. With our attacking qualities, we know we will create opportunities and score goals this season. Now we must also have the same rigor when defending our goal and seeking a clean sheet.
About system change
We are professionals, that’s why we have to know how to adapt. We have all been playing football for a long time, so knowing how to adapt to different systems is normal for us. We have to be attentive and stay focused when we change systems; that’s the most important thing.
Tottenham’s preparation
We don’t think about Tottenham because the most important thing is the next game. That’s a golden rule for me and the team! To prepare well for the game against Tottenham, we must first face the game against Angers well; that is the basis. I feel good energy in the team and I don’t have the feeling that some players are already thinking about Wednesday’s game.
Your start of the season
In a race there are phases when everything is going well and you feel like you are flying through the field, and sometimes it is more difficult. This start of the season was a little more difficult for me, but it’s not a big deal; It happens sometimes in a race. The most important thing is to stay focused on your work so you can recover quickly. There is a dynamic within a team, a coach who has his own ideas and who decides the starting eleven. Not everyone can always play, but you have to have confidence in yourself and keep in mind that hard work will always pay off. As a competitor, I always want to play!