Donough Holohan, former Manchester City Director of Performance, has been appointed head of the AS Saint-Étienne performance cell. A strategy recognized for his bold and human approach, he spent nearly thirteen years in Manchester City, where he helped optimize player performance, including managing peaks of form and maintaining high physical availability. Holohan, who favours human connection and contextual analysis of data, is committed to establishing a culture of prevention and optimization in Saint-Étienne, relying on a multidisciplinary team and encouraging the involvement of players in their preparation. Its arrival marks a clear ambition to build a modern and structured project, aimed at raising the club’s standards and ensuring its sustainability in Ligue 1.

The AS Saint-Étienne continues its summer preparation with a first friendly match against the Star Carouge, an event open to the public but not broadcast live. This meeting, which marks the official start of the preparation season under the direction of Eirik Horneland, will observe the first tactical adjustments and integration of the new recruits. The club has planned a series of five friendly games to refine the automations before the Ligue 2 recovery on August 8, with confrontations against Troyes, Servette Geneva, Paris FC and Cagliari. The goal is to prepare the team to aim at the top of the ranking and build a group capable of maintaining a constant level throughout the season.

The transfer of young guard Robin Risser to RC Lens represents a disappointment for AS Saint-Étienne, who has been following him with interest for several weeks. Despite the interest of other clubs, the player, who had shone on his loan to the Red Star, opted for an ambitious Ligue 1 project with Lens. The ASSE, who had identified the goaltender’s sector as a priority after cashing 77 goals in Ligue 1, now intends to trust its current goaltenders, Gautier Larsonneur and Brice Maubleu, and focus on strengthening the defence. The club’s attention is now focused on other priorities, including the offensive sector, as part of its re-launch strategy.