ChristopheVAFC

Glad to read that you watched the game. By the way, all the matches and the whole season are available for free on YouTube. There were some good things and some not-so-good things in this first match of the season, it's the run-in as they say, the time for the players to get their bearings... Joachim Kayi Sanda is a very intelligent player with a lot of potential, and the club is doing everything it can to convince him to sign his first professional contract, and I think you can see why today. Jordan Poha has been pretty interesting too, I think. And what can I say about our goalkeeper Jean Louchet, who was voted man of the match yesterday by a long way. He kept us in the game and kept the clean sheet. All in all, I'm not too disappointed, even if we do need to do more to reassure ourselves in defence and be able to score more up front. A bit more work, a bit more new blood (recruits), and I think we'll have a good season.

It wasn't easy yesterday, though, and we gave ourselves a bit of a scare, but the main thing is there, and the 3 points will do us good and get the season off to the best possible start, I hope. Thanks for your message, my friend.

Back from the stadium just now. A short but precious victory against a tough opponent. It's been tough right from the start of the league, but I think that's a good thing, as it gives us a chance to get into shape. It was great to be able to celebrate a league win in the stands, and now we need to keep it up for the next few games. Go VA!

The league resumes this evening for VA, who host Aubagne FC (promoted from the 4th division) at the Stade du Hainaut. All they need is a win to get the season off to a good start. Watch the match for free on YouTube: VAFC Aubagne Kick-off 7.30pm French time. Allez VA! 🔴⚪

It's true that not everyone can have such a sponsor on their shirt. TOYOTA has a factory not far from Valenciennes (a few kilometres away), and in the past, between 2004 and 2014, it was our main sponsor. TOYOTA is one of the main employers in the area.

This year, the club has decided to close the upper part of the stadium, so instead of a total of 25,172 seats, only 9,000 will be open. At the start of the season, I think we'll have around 5,000 people in the stadium, and then, in the event of a good season, the club will be able to modulate the capacity according to need and attendance. I think we'll be in the top 5. Estimed for me: Sochaux: 10k / Nancy: 7k / Valenciennes: 5k Then the other clubs below 3k I think. As far as Girondins de Bordeaux are concerned, their situation is almost desperate. Yesterday, they went before the commission and were unsuccessful. They have been demoted to the 4th division (National 2). The directors of the National 1 championship are not taking anyone in Bordeaux's place, so the championship will be played with 17 teams instead of 18 for the time being. But we're not immune to last-minute changes.

In multi-ownership management, there are always sporting differences between clubs, with Southampton in the Premier League ahead of us, then our friends from Goztepe in the Turkish D1, then Valenciennes. All multi-club managers are faced with the question of which clubs to choose if 2 teams from SR were to play each other in the European Cup. And it's true that it can't be an easy choice. Now, I think that every project takes time to become concrete, sometimes 1 year, sometimes 3 years or 5 years maybe... In reality, I don't think that SR makes any difference between our 3 teams, and I continue to maintain my confidence in the rebuilding of my club. Everyone has their own point of view on the matter. Personally, I'll believe in it for as long as it takes, and I'm convinced that we'll have better days very soon.

Press article from my team today, folks, enjoy your reading. Ahmed Kantari se confie avant la reprise : « Une anomalie que VA soit en National » - La Voix du Nord

Valenciennes will be the team to beat for all the other clubs in the league. According to the various predictions on the different networks, a lot of people see us at the top of the table. Our objective is clear: to stay in the 3rd division for as short a time as possible and climb straight back up to Ligue 2. I wish us as many victories as possible (I wish the same for you, my friends from Southampton and our brothers from Goztepe). I hope we'll all be celebrating together next summer during the probable pre-season tournament between the 3 clubs

SR's management of our 3 clubs is not at all the same as City Group's management...

Yesterday was the last friendly match before the league resumes next Friday. We played Troyes, who had initially been relegated to the French National League but were promoted to Ligue 2 instead of Bordeaux. It was a rather interesting game, as we were 2-0 up and came back to 2-2. Not everything is perfect, but there are positive signs. Let's get on with the new season!

Hello folks. Yesterday, at fan day, the 2nd VAFC shirt designed by Hummel was presented. It's a classic white shirt with a swan, the emblem of Valenciennes. What do you think, friends?

Dear colleague, Last year, it's true, SR relied on data to build our team, in particular by recruiting 15 players from the 4 corners of the world and in the end, the only one who was satisfactory was our goalkeeper, Jean Louchet, who was recruited from the team of unemployed players. We saw the result, and although individually they had some interesting statistics, collectively it didn't work out at all, with a descent into the 3rd division as a consequence. SR has learned from these mistakes, particularly by taking the time to recruit well and choose the right profiles. Our four recruits seem to me to be healthier and more coherent if you compare them to last year. We're not in SR's or VAFC's offices and we don't know how he does things, but we have to admit that we have to trust them. I don't think they do anything stupid or that they don't know football. When you look at our friends here from Southampton and Goztepe who are doing much better, hard work will pay off in the end. I'm telling you here, most of my colleagues are not optimistic and think that SR will never succeed here. I don't agree with that. A project takes time to take shape and you always have to believe in it because sooner or later your efforts will pay off.

That's precisely the problem with us, it's that we panic quickly and don't give ourselves time to get things done. Morale is not at its best for many of my compatriots, but I'm convinced that after the rain will come the good weather. As we say in France, the French are eternally dissatisfied, haha: always grumbling about nothing... I don't think that SR are the worst owners there are, admittedly they don't do everything right, but they keep their commitments to our 3 clubs. Their management style is quite different from that of other timeshare owners, and they don't spend money like QSI at Paris SG, who, despite injecting billions, have still not won the Champions League, despite Mbappé / Messi / Neymar and others. I think we'll see in the coming months.

Last season, we recruited 15 players from the 4 corners of the world, but this year, as sporting director Ben Chorley told me, the aim is to recruit less, but to recruit better, with players who have a good mentality and who have made it up the league. I also think that because the squad hasn't changed much, the players already know each other and that could save time in the league. They know it didn't work last year and are trying to do things differently. I'm fine with that. The result will be determined on the pitch, but SR knows that the fans are waiting for him and that if he doesn't get the league off to a good start, the fans will be quick to show their anger.

The problem for us is that the club hasn't been used to winning for 11 years, so when SR arrived there was a lot of impatience and a lot of my compatriots are disappointed that the results aren't there. I think that like Rome, which wasn't built in 1 day, it will take time for the work to pay off. I'm very calm about the season to come, positive things lead to positive things and that will be my point of view for a long time to come. I don't think that it's by criticising SR all the time that VA will come through and achieve better results. Our former owner is now a long way from our club and that's no bad thing, I'd never want him back. I wish the best of seasons to our 3 clubs and that we can all celebrate together next summer!

I'd like to remind you that the state Valenciennes was in when it was bought by Sport Républic was not at all the same as that of our friends at Southampton and Goztepe. Lack of staff, work to be done everywhere (stadium, training centre, academy, etc.) and that takes time. You can't erase 10 years of management by the previous owner in 1 year, it's impossible, whatever the club. The mood of many of my compatriots is one of sadness and resignation, because we've had very little taste of victory and ambition. As Ben Chorley said, VA is no longer used to winning and it's time for that to change. The positive leads to the positive and we have to keep believing because our situation is far from hopeless. A project takes time to take shape and I have no doubt that we will rediscover the ambition that has returned to Southampton and Goztepe.

Le maintien d’Ahmed Kantari en tant qu’entraîneur de l’équipe première cet été n’a pas été bien accueilli par de nombreux fans ici, car nous nous attendions à un changement d’entraîneur. Or, j’imagine qu’il a dû défendre ardemment sa cause lors de son interview cet été avec la gouvernance de la SR. Je pense aussi qu’il n’aura pas beaucoup de marge d’erreur, car SR ne sera pas aussi patient qu’il l’a été la saison dernière.

I look forward to bringing you regular updates from my team! I hope we have a great season, and hopefully we'll be back in the top flight straight away! For us, the 1st day of the championship is scheduled for Friday 16 August 2024.

Of course our sporting director, Ben Chorley, will be under a lot of pressure at the start of the season. We mustn't make the same mistakes as last season. We mustn't forget that this is a business and that there's a lot of money at stake, and I think that Yoann Godin, our managing director, and Ben Chorley, our sporting director, must have been briefed by Sport Républic governance this summer. As far as the fans are concerned, even if most of us have been patient and accepted our descent into the National, it won't be the same if the season gets off to a catastrophic start.

Dear colleague, It's true that the 1st year of Sport Républic in Valenciennes has not been a success. Nevertheless, SR having experienced the same situation with our friends from Southampton and Goztepe, the second season is more than a success. Let's wish our club the same fate. I would remind you that Eddy Zdziech (our former owner), left SR a derelict club with work to be done on all the club's structures. Let's be patient. Work always pays off sooner or later.

Honestly, it's not a good deal to buy Girondins de Bordeaux, firstly because they have a total debt of more than 90 million euros (Valenciennes had around 20 million at the time of the buyout). Bordeaux may be one of the oldest clubs in France, but they have often been helped out in the past. Sometimes you have to go backwards in order to go forwards, and Strasbourg, Sedan and others are examples of clubs that have gone from the bottom to the top. I wish a lot of courage to those who will buy the club because in my opinion it's a real money pit and it's a club that lives well beyond its means.

It seems to me that owning 2 clubs from the same country isn't really legal, it could be said to be a conflict of interest. That's why multi-owners generally have 1 club per country.

Sekou Mara, I'll take it from all the players, I'll even travel to your house to pick it up haha

I'll get back to you, don't worry. As far as Girondins de Bordeaux are concerned, their situation is very, very, very complicated. They're on the verge of bankruptcy and will probably go out of business. This summer, they have to replenish their accounts and raise around €40 million (£33,655,400), which is a lot of money for a football club. Bordeaux were in negotiations to be bought out by the Fenway Sport Group (owner of Liverpool). But the sale did not go ahead for the following reason: ‘This decision is explained in particular by the significant cost of the stadium in the coming years, but also by the general economic context of French football’. The owner alone must come up with this sum before 24 July 2024, as they have an appointment with the French football regulator (DNCG). The FFF (Fédération Française de Football) has indicated on the board ‘Bordeaux or Troyes’ pending the decision on 24 July, but all indications are that Troyes (17th and 1st relegated from Ligue 2) will be drafted in, as it seems impossible for Bordeaux to find the money in 8 days. For Bordeaux, it will be either National or lower (7th or 8th division in France). The rugby here at Valenciennes is not top level, it plays in the regional league I think... But relations between the football club and the rugby club are not at their best, because our current stadium was built on part of their old ground and they had to move further away... However, since Sport Républic took over, our club has enjoyed a better relationship with local politicians (town hall / agglomeration / local enterprise...)