ChristopheVAFC

My friends, it's time for me to share my thoughts with you as the year draws to a close. I know that my fellow countryman will disagree with me, but I am giving you my sincere, realistic, and consistent point of view. Sport Républic arrived in the summer of 2023 and took over a club that was in very bad shape, on the verge of permanent closure, after 15 months of complicated negotiations with the former owner (on Monday, he wanted to sell the club, on Tuesday, he said he no longer wanted to sell, on Wednesday, he didn't know whether he was selling or not)... 2023/2024 season: SR finally took over the club late in the day (the other clubs had already done their recruitment), so they had to act quickly, and as the saying goes, it's not always possible to do things quickly and well. They recruited 15 players from all over the world, targeted via data, but in the end, they were relegated to the third division and two-thirds of the players they recruited left. This was their first mistake, but could he have done otherwise given the timeframe of the takeover? 2024/2025 season: In the second year, recruitment was a little better but not enough to get back into Ligue 2. The club was at the bottom of the table in the winter of 2024, but the second half of the season allowed them to finish in the middle of the table. There was also a change of sporting director, with Mathieu Frison replacing Ben Chorley, who was blamed by many fans for the team's poor performance. 2025/2026 season: new coach (Stéphane Moulin replaces Vincent Hognon, who left for Sochaux). The roster has undergone significant changes, with many departures and numerous arrivals (around 15 new players as of July 2023). This time, the goal is to avoid making the same mistakes as two years ago. The result: The recruitment of French players with experience in the French leagues. Frankly, for many Valenciennes fans, we all found the recruitment consistent and competitive this summer. We knew that it would take time for the players to get to know each other and for the team to gel. Six months later, the conclusion is clear: promising players are disappointing and not living up to expectations. No one really understands where these difficulties are coming from. Are they too comfortable? (The Stade du Hainaut and the training center are worthy of Ligue 1.) Are they under too much pressure in Valenciennes? Yet the salaries they are paid are higher than what most other third division clubs offer their players.... Is the coach's message no longer getting through? There are many questions here, and concern is understandable. The fans are expecting more, and the ambition is certainly there. So yes, SR isn't perfect, and probably never will be. They've made mistakes, and always will, but they're trying to correct them and are working hard to get results. The world of soccer is often difficult to gauge and very unpredictable. To say that I am not disappointed with this situation would be a lie, and to say that this situation satisfies me and also satisfies SR would also be a lie... The fans' reaction to Sochaux last Friday was logical and understandable, even if, in my opinion, there were other ways to show their dissatisfaction. What was done will penalize the club for the rest of the championship and is detrimental to the club... We, the Valenciennes fans, have been waiting 13 years for our club to regain its ambition and climb back up the leagues, so it's true that our impatience is legitimate. But it takes time for things to work out in the long term... This winter, the club will make some minor changes to the squad. I expect several players to leave and several to arrive. The players who join us in January will have to be ready and understand that expectations are high. To conclude, and as I have already said, I will always place my trust in SR, and I am convinced that sooner or later, the hard work will pay off and we will be smiling again in Valenciennes. I would also like to announce that I plan to pay you a visit for a weekend before the end of the season, and I hope to see some of you before a Saints game. My friends in Southampton, I wish you all a wonderful holiday season. Enjoy your friends and loved ones. Take care of yourselves. Joyeux Noël à tous et bonne année 2026 ! Allez VA !

In fact, of the €30 million invested by Sport Républic since July 2023: - Between €3 and €5 million was given to the former owner. (Who wanted to recover some of the money he had invested, even though I don't think he put much in over 10 years lol). - Between €5 million and €10 million was used to pay off the debts the club had at the time of the takeover (to companies, conflicts with former players). - The rest was used to upgrade the club (part of it for administrative purposes and the rest for sporting purposes). It may seem completely crazy, but an employee at the club could perform several functions (for example, taking care of ticketing and security at the same time). Today, the club has dozens more employees, and everyone does what they are supposed to do.

Dirk Gerkens, President of VAFC, reviews the first half of the season President of VAFC since January 2025, Dirk Gerkens addressed the club's current difficulties in a lengthy interview. He didn't shy away from any topic, discussing results, finances, and the future, and reviewed the first half of the season. - After 15 National league matches, VAFC sits 13th in the standings with 16 points. What is your assessment of the first half of the season? It's obviously disappointing, given the resources we've invested, both financially and in terms of our sporting performance. Our ambition was, and remains, to be at the top of the table. But for now, it's a major disappointment on the pitch. - How do you explain this situation? It's hard to understand. With the budget we have, the players we have, and the coach we have, nobody can really explain how we've ended up where we are today. Perhaps we need time to integrate the players and build team cohesion, but that's all. We haven't been spared from injuries either. But otherwise, I sometimes felt that some players could have done more. We undoubtedly have the best financial and sporting conditions in the National league. But the trade-off is that the players give their all and fight for Valenciennes' values. It has to be said that this wasn't always the case in the first half of the season. So I expect a change of attitude in 2026. - Under these circumstances, is Stéphane Moulin still the right man for the job? Yes. We've had a long discussion. And I think we're very lucky to have someone like Stéphane Moulin as our coach, someone with a wealth of experience. He has our full support. We want to continue working with him and give him all the tools he needs to improve the situation and revitalize the team. - What changes are you planning for the second half of the season to turn things around? The most logical option is to strengthen the squad during the winter transfer window. We have a good core group of players, but we need to reinforce certain positions, whether it's up front, in midfield, or in defense. - Will these arrivals during the transfer window necessarily involve departures? Ideally, yes. We don't want to have an overstaffed squad. More broadly, we really want to do everything we can to climb back up the table. There's still more than half a season to play, and anything is still possible, even if the gap has widened compared to the leaders. But things can change very quickly in football, for better or for worse. - During the last home match against Sochaux, some supporters tried to invade the pitch. What is your view on these events? Let me be very clear. I understand the anger, I understand the distress, and I understand the frustration in the stands. I myself am very frustrated right now. However, the incidents that occurred on Friday are completely unacceptable, and I strongly condemn them. We don't need this. It really doesn't help the club or the players in any way. All of this risks harming us in terms of sanctions. And again, we really don't need this right now. - It's been two and a half years since Sport Republic acquired Valenciennes FC. The group has already invested more than 30 million euros in the club, but the results haven't materialized. As a shareholder, are you frustrated by this situation? Absolutely. We've invested a huge amount of money in the club. The initial goal was to get promoted back to Ligue 1, not to end up in the National league. So yes, we're obviously disappointed on the pitch. And then there's another factor, which unfortunately isn't the club's responsibility: the overall state of the French football economy. Since our arrival in 2023, many things have changed negatively regarding television rights following the successive withdrawals of various rights holders. All of this has had a direct impact on the financial situation of French football, whether in Ligue 1, Ligue 2, or the National league. Today, even if we get promoted back to Ligue 2, it won't improve the club's revenue. And that's obviously a significant loss. It's something we can't ignore. - Given these difficulties, will the shareholder's financial support continue? Yes, Sport Republic will continue to support Valenciennes. I would like to remind everyone that since his arrival, the shareholder has invested an enormous amount of resources, unlike any other shareholder in the club's history. Our investment exceeds 30 million euros, and we haven't seen any return on that investment yet. We too often tend to forget these very significant financial sacrifices made by Sport Republic. I also feel that we are sometimes disrespected, considering everything that has been done to restructure the club over the past two and a half years. It's a shame to have such short memories, but that's the way it is. However, VAFC can no longer ignore the new economic reality facing all French clubs. Therefore, we will have to adapt, and this will necessarily involve a reduction in our financial resources. - What is your response to the criticism regarding Sport Republic's lack of daily presence in Valenciennes? Let me be perfectly clear: VAFC is neither managed nor run from abroad. The club is entirely managed in France, with a French general manager, a French sporting coordinator, and a French coach. It's not run like a satellite club. We don't impose players. Proof of this is that we don't see a dozen Southampton players arriving in the first team every season. Almost all the players in the current squad come from the French market. It's important to acknowledge this because it's the reality.

Will Still revient sur son départ de Lens pour Southampton : « Je regrette de ne pas avoir parlé plus tôt »

Mercato, sanctions, supporters… Valenciennes a cinq semaines de chantier pour s’en remettre - La Voix du Nord

Many here said that Ben Chorley was primarily responsible for the sporting situation in any case...

Penalty !!!

This is the first time I've seen this at the Stade du Hainaut since it opened in 2011... I'm sad tonight, because we all would have liked the season to go much better... As for SR, given that Southampton is doing better and things are going well at Goztepe, I think they'll work to make things better at Valenciennes, that's what I tell myself...

Just got back from the stadium... To be honest with you, friends, it was a tough night... I told you it would be a complicated and difficult match, and unfortunately that's how it turned out... We started the game badly with a defensive error that cost us the only goal of the match in the 5th minute, scored by Aymen BOUTOUTAOU, a former Valenciennes player who was still with us last season... As usual, we were unable to come back and the game continued... In the 90th minute, angry fans tried to storm the pitch but were blocked by around 50 stewards... The game was stopped for almost an hour before the announcer declared it over for good... May the holiday season be good to everyone, and I expect a lot more changes in January... Have a great night, friends!

Valenciennes – Sochaux: Tense situation with supporters, match abandoned During Valenciennes' match against Sochaux for the 16th round of the National league, some supporters left the stands and attempted to enter the pitch while the Hainaut club was trailing. They were quickly stopped by around thirty stewards. The referee abandoned the match. With Sochaux leading 1-0 at the start of stoppage time, several Valenciennes supporters left their section and tried to invade the pitch at the Stade du Hainaut. Around thirty stewards quickly intervened to prevent them. Faced with the situation, the referee decided to immediately stop the match and sent the 22 players back to the dressing rooms. The match was abandoned Around thirty helmeted police officers positioned themselves at the entrance to the tunnel to prevent supporters from accessing the Valenciennes stadium. The club's general manager, Yoann Godin, went to speak with them while they were still on the sidelines. It was no use… At 10:05 p.m., after more than thirty tense minutes, the referee decided to abandon the match.

Thank you 🙂

"Raised in every way," a week of high tension in Valenciennes From the thrashing in Dijon (4-1) to this final match of the year against Sochaux, Valenciennes endured a difficult week trying to recover, come to terms with the disappointment of their first half of the season, and focus on the essential adjustments needed. The radio silence that followed the Valenciennes players' match in Dijon continued on the bus ride home, a journey that must have seemed endless before their arrival at Mont-Houy at 3:30 a.m. The next day, Stéphane Moulin tried to recover from a sleepless night and a match whose content had "frightened" him, while his assistant, Patrice Sauvaget, watched the reserve team's match featuring Samy Baghdadi and Mark Inchaud, two summer signings from whom much more was expected. The victory and first place for Pierre Blois's team are obviously not enough to overshadow the oppressive atmosphere that has descended upon Valenciennes. The owners were not pleased. The performance in Dijon stunned many: the fans, of course, whose banner ("You're a bunch of...") served as a welcoming committee upon their return from Burgundy, but also internally, where the feeling of failure is widespread. This includes the very highest levels of Sport Republic. The thrashing against Dijon, and more broadly, the first few months of the season, have considerably irritated even Dragan Solak, the owner and main financier of the investment fund that owns Valenciennes. The Serbian billionaire had, until now, excelled at delegating and keeping a watchful eye on things from afar since acquiring Valenciennes. "We misjudged the individual and collective value of this team." - Stéphane Moulin “In those moments, when nothing is going right, we get a lot of flak from everyone, and rightly so,” admits Stéphane Moulin, who has even more opportunity to sense the immense disappointment while chatting with some supporters after Wednesday’s training session. Faced with the defeat in the Dijon match, the coaching staff doesn’t want to dwell on the team; the focus is on simple things to avoid further damaging their badly shaken confidence, even though the question of their overall level can no longer be ignored. It becomes all too obvious as soon as the opponent is a bit tougher, like against Fleury, Dijon, or the upcoming Sochaux match. “We made a mistake in analyzing the individual and collective value of this team. And I do mean ‘we,’” emphasizes Stéphane Moulin. “We made mistakes, but I take full responsibility, and I work with the players I have.” "For now, it's not what we expected; obviously, it's far from sufficient." Decimated Central Defense While the past week has been difficult at all levels, the coming weeks will be marked by the urgent need to strengthen the team, target the right players, and shake things up. It's no longer a possibility; it's now a necessity. With all this going on, we almost forget that there's a match to play. Facing Sochaux, who arrive firmly entrenched in the top three with their three former Valenciennes players – Vincent Hognon, Julien Masson, and Aymen Boutoutaou – whose mere presence will further highlight the choices made last summer. Since the headwinds continue to blow in gusts, Valenciennes will field a central defense that is both decimated and experimental due to the absences of Thomas, Coeff, and Landre. All this in an atmosphere that reeks of tension in the stands. Those who attend will see Valenciennes sporting a new shirt sponsor (Burger King), officially announced on Thursday, which seems to be the only bright spot in recent days. As has often been the case since Sport Republic took over, VAFC has been far more effective behind the scenes than on the pitch. It's never too late to offer a more nuanced perspective and add a touch of color to what has been a rather gloomy week so far. VAFC – Sochaux, Friday at 7:30 pm at the Stade du Hainaut. Unavailable: Landre, Coeff, Thomas, Baghdadi, Collet (injured), Belloumou, Inchaud (doubtful)

Hello friends, I hope you are all well? Today is Valenciennes' last league match of 2025. They are hosting FC Sochaux Montbéliard, who are currently at the top of the league, at the Stade du Hainaut. It will be a difficult match tonight against a confident team who are currently on a roll. Two former players (Julien Masson and Aymen Boutoutaou) are returning to Valenciennes, as is our former coach from last year (Vincent Hognon). It's a difficult situation with the fans unhappy and the team coming off a heavy defeat at Dijon last week (4-1). It won't be easy for anyone tonight... I'm hoping for a draw tonight, which would be very good given the current situation. The match kicks off at 7.30pm French time and can be watched on YouTube via the link below: Have a great day and a good weekend. Allez VA !

Three important points in the fight to move up the league table. It's a shame we conceded those two avoidable goals... Not an easy second period! Allez Southampton !

my god !!!!