On the eve of the resumption of Ligue 1 McDonald's in Angers (7 p.m.), the vice-captain of AS Monaco appeared at a press conference to discuss this important match as part of the 8th round of play.

Return to winning ways. At the end of the October international break, the Rouge et Blanc return to the Ligue 1 with a trip to SCO Angers this Saturday (kick-off 7 p.m.). So, to talk about this duel on the 8th matchday of Ligue 1 McDonald’s, the first on the Monaco bench for Sébastien Pocognoli,  Thilo Kehrer spoke with the press. 🎙️

Captain against Angers

This isn’t the first time, and it’s always a privilege and a responsibility. It’s an honor to be captain of this team, and it motivates me to give my all, both in terms of my performance and my personality, to achieve a good result.

Our discussions 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's a young coach, and a former professional player, so he's very involved in his sessions,

On the intensity of training

It’s very intense, yes. We’re waiting for everyone to return from international duty, but those who are here are motivated and want to show their best in front of the new coach. Our discussions 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’s a young coach, and a former professional player, so he’s very involved in his sessions, as are his assistant coaches (Kevin Mirallas and Artur Kopyt). Personally, I appreciate that, because for us players, it brings a good dynamic.

Intensité. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/admAbRdqeX

— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) October 14, 2025

Je tiens d'ailleurs à remercier, personnellement et au nom de toute l’équipe, Adi Hütter pour ces deux dernières saisons et demie, pour tout le chemin parcouru ensemble ! Les joueurs et le staff ont apprécié travailler avec lui.

Thilo KehrerÀ propos d'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’ve come  through together! The players and staff have enjoyed working with him, and we must be grateful for what Adi has given. In football, all parties involved have responsibilities. On the pitch, we players didn’t perform as we wanted at the start of the season, so we all have our responsibilities! The results weren’t necessarily bad, but in terms of style and attitude, we struggled to bring the same ingredients as the last two years. We know that’s how it is; football is a results-driven sport. But now, we’re motivated and we can’t wait to begin this new adventure with Sébastien Pocognoli and his staff, to work every day to put his ideas into practice.

Sébastien Pocognoli’s First Words

He introduced himself, his staff, and his ideas. Then, we took stock of the situation we’re in at this point in the season. He’s precise and clear in his communication, which allows us to adapt quickly to his philosophy. The first few days are based on that. Finally, discipline is one of the points he wants 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're preparing for this match in the best possible way. Even though on paper we might think that, since Angers is 17th, AS Monaco should win this match, in reality it's not that easy, so we have to take this match really seriously.

Motivation against Angers

We’re very motivated because we know that in Ligue 1, every match is difficult, and every result has to be earned. With experience, I know that no match is a given, and we have to respect every team in the league. So we’re preparing in the best possible way for this match. Even if on paper, we might think that, since Angers is 17th, AS Monaco should win this match, in reality, it’s not that easy, so we have to take this match seriously. (…) There was the international break, so the squad isn’t at full strength yet, and some only returned today. We’ll quickly see how we adapt, but these are two weeks where we have to get to know each other and even reconnect with each other, but the team’s energy is geared towards that!

𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 ⚔️
🆚 @AngersSCO
🏆 @Ligue1
📅 Samedi 18 octobre
⌚️ 19h00 pic.twitter.com/7hiKpv4RRX

— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) October 15, 2025

The frustration of not keeping a clean sheet

It’s not frustration, but rather desire. It’s increasingly important in modern football to keep a clean sheet. We’re working towards that goal and to achieve that goal. With our attacking qualities, we know we’ll create chances and score goals this season. Now, we also need to have the same rigor when defending our goal and going for that clean sheet.

On the change of system

We’re professionals, so we have to know how to adapt. We’ve all been playing football for a long time, so knowing how to adapt to different systems is normal for us. We have to be vigilant and stay focused when we change systems; that’s the most important thing.

Tottenham’s preparation

We’re not thinking about Tottenham, because the most important thing is the next match. That’s a golden rule for me and for the team! To prepare well for the match against Tottenham, we must first negotiate the match against Angers well; that’s the foundation. I sense good energy in the team, and I don’t get the feeling that some players are already thinking about Wednesday’s match.

His start to the season

In a career, there are phases where everything goes well and you feel like you’re flying across the field, and sometimes it’s more difficult. This start to the season was a little more difficult for me, but it’s not a big deal; it happens sometimes in a career. The most important thing is to stay focused on your work so you can bounce back quickly. There are dynamics 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 self-confidence and keep in mind that hard work will always pay off. As a competitor, I always want to play!

#Thilo #Kehrer #ampquotWith #coach #watchwords #intensityampquot