Having won four of their first five games, including lopsided wins over conference rivals the Hamburg Sea Devils and Frankfurt Galaxy, the Paris Musketeers have opened the 2024 European League of Football campaign in far better fashion than 2023 when they were 2-3.
Tacked on to the four straight wins to end the 2023 season, the Musketeers are 8-1 since July 29 last year, it would seem that head coach Marc Mattioli has clearly got his team to buy into his message of building a team atmosphere.
The Atlanta, Georgia native, has spent the last four years coaching in Europe, where in 2021, he led the Italian Football League’s Parma Panthers to their first Italian Bowl title since 2013. Following his success in Italy, Mattioli joined the now defunct Leipzig Kings in the ELF to round off their season. He was named americanfootballinternational.
Mattioli began his coaching career at LaGrange College, a Division III program in west Georgia. Immediately showing his high ceiling, Mattioli won roles at primary NCAA FBS schools in Stanford University and then Vanderbilt University as a defensive backs coach.
AFI: You are leading your team into the second half of its second season in the ELF in a far better situation than last year at this time. You are considered one of the title contenders with the second half of the season coming up. What has made the difference?
Mattioli: I would say the biggest difference has been the development and growth of our Team Culture from Year 1 to Year 2. Just the way we do things and the way the guys care about each other. It takes time together to build that. To establish how we practice, how we meet, how we compete. All of those things. The guys have understood the importance of that and they are bought in. Because of that, we have more consistent habits this year than we did last year. That is the biggest difference I think
AFI: What improvements would you like to see in your team heading into the last seven games?
Mattiloi: More consistency in execution. When we are all doing the right thing and executing our job, we have success. It’s just about doing that each and every play to the best of our ability regardless of circumstance. That is what will take us to the next level as a team.
AFI: The ELF has some interesting rules including the kickoff rule, a version of which the NFL is adopting. What other rules changes, if any, would you like to see?
Mattioli: I don’t have a strong opinion on this. As long as the rules are clear and they are enforced consistently, then we can focus on playing and coaching.
AFI: This is your fourth year coaching in Europe after you spent the first two in Italy. How much of a difference do you see this year over last year and also compared to your first two seasons in Italy?
I think from a football perspective, the ELF has definitely improved from last year to this year. There are some really good coaches in this league. And the players have really developed as well. There are some great imports, but I think the biggest difference has been the improvement in the homegrown players. A lot of these guys have been playing in the league for three or four years now and they have really grown because of it.
The Musketeers will face the 4-3 Berlin Thunder, Sunday, July 14 in their first non-conference game of the year.