Free kicks, corners, long throw-ins: AS Monaco entrusts its set pieces to Abel Lorincz

His name isn't the most impressive and his CV isn't particularly impressive, but he should bring a significant boost to AS M. Although comfortable with set pieces last season, the club from the Principality decided to recruit a specialist in this area at the end of July.

While nothing has been made official, Abel Lorincz has joined the Rock as Adi Hütter's new assistant and has begun working for the team. At 36, the Hungarian is little-known on the French scene, having mostly worked abroad. After working for local club Honved as a video analyst in the youth team and then in the first team, Lorincz went through the Puskas academy (still in his home country) before discovering Denmark with Sönderjyske and Hammarby.

"On the bus, he could spend hours watching set pieces."

A little over a year ago, the thirty-year-old discovered French football when he landed in Valenciennes. Close to one of the directors of the Sport Republic group, owner of the Hauts-de-France club, Lorincz took advantage of the opportunity to discover another world. "He was already there when I arrived, I knew it when I signed and we got to know each other," explains Vincent Hognon, head coach of VAFC in the National last season.

While not all clubs rely on a set-piece specialist, Valenciennes relied heavily on it and reaped the rewards. "We hardly conceded any goals in this area," recalls Mathieu Michel, who arrived at the Stade du Hainaut during last season. The experienced keeper (33 years old) enjoyed working with the new member of the Monaco staff. Goalkeeping coach in the North, Damien Perquis, has no other opinion.

"Well-anchored principles"

"Abel spoke French and English, so he integrated very well. He worked a lot on his ideas; he's a real enthusiast. On the bus, he could spend hours watching set pieces from different leagues. I think he had to fast-forward the match to get to those sequences (laughs)." Now working at Sochaux, Vincent Hognon praises him as "a pleasant" and "meticulous" guy , even though he didn't experience the professional level as a player. Free kicks, corners, long throw-ins: the Magyar had time to express his ideas with three weekly slots dedicated to him. "He has well-established principles that he likes to impose, but he knows how to listen to what he's told," appreciates Mathieu Michel, now at Montpellier. "He was capable of adjusting things, changing positions in the defensive sector, the positioning of a player, for example."

Monaco like Arsenal

Former Gym defender Vincent Hognon used to talk with Abel Lorincz to compare their visions and define the best strategies. "We decided together which players would move up and which would stay behind. His role at Monaco will also depend on the relationship he has with the coach."

Although they hadn't really seen the news, our three contacts are delighted for their former colleague. "Given the importance given by big clubs like Arsenal to this sector of the game, I'm not surprised that Monaco wanted to bring him in," confides Michel. "It's in the air!" And a new step in the career of Adi Hütter's fourth assistant.