Goalkeeper of the French handball team crowned at the Tokyo Olympics, Vincent Gérard, without a club five months from those of Paris-2024, has signed up with Istres in the second division of the French championship, the club announced on Wednesday. Bouches-du-Rhône.
“After playing at Istres Provence Handball from 2008 to 2010, French international Vincent Gérard is making his return to Provence,” indicates the fourth Proligue team in a press release posted on its website.
Absent from the European coronation of the Blues due to convalescence after pubalgia, Gérard, 37, had terminated his contract the previous week with the German club Kiel, stronghold of the Champions League, which no longer counted on him.
“For me the important thing is to play,” explains the person concerned to the daily L’Equipe. No goalkeeper got injured, and that’s great, so no doors opened. I thank Istres who worked hard, we all made an effort.”
The goalkeeper with 150 caps for the French team is aiming for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, his ultimate challenge, since he has announced his retirement at the end of the season.
“It’s not the Champions League, we agree, but they will be high-stakes matches,” Vincent Gérard still judges about these coming weeks in the second division. “Behind, there is time to take stock of the international level. I’ve been with the French team for ten years, I also have a little experience. The criteria can be met.”
It remains to be seen whether these five months in Proligue will convince coach Guillaume Gille to retain him. Despite the emergence of Samir Bellahcene at the Euro, the boss of the Blues still seemed to count on Vincent Gérard during the tournament, calling him the “taulier”.
“Obviously we are concerned when it comes to the club situation of someone so important to the France group. Yes, I am concerned,” commented “Gino” Gille. “We cannot be insensitive to the difficulties encountered in the club when it comes to Vincent Gérard.”