Carl, 17 years old, has been following the “sang et or” (blood and gold, colors of RC Lens) since 1998. Since the beginning of January, he has been contributing as an editor at www.planete-lens.com. His words are carefully chosen and his analysis of his club and Nice is objective.
Nice-Premiere: Lens seems set for a good season, and the “sang et or” supporters seem to have rediscovered their faith. How do you explain this Lensois revival? Is it the Gillot effect?
Carl: Indeed, the start of the season has been very satisfactory on Bollaert’s side. Besides our good run in Ligue 1, we have “won” the Intertoto Cup and earned a ticket for the UEFA Cup, a goal that eluded us by just three points last season. The supporters suffered a lot during the “Muller era”. The game was defensive, numbing; in short, we were very bored! The people even made their voices heard at the time. The arrival of Gillot last January has completely transformed the team. Some players have gained a lot of confidence (for example, Keita, a discreet player but monstrous in midfield), others who were not up to par have been benched (Carrière and Gillet). The contribution of the young Brazilian Jussiê has also definitely brought a plus. Gillot has brought a new breath to the club, which now scores many more goals and has been unbeaten at home for 16 matches (including 12 wins), across all competitions.
N-P: Returning to the beginning of the season, what were your impressions after RCL’s loss to Nantes in the first matchday? Were you still confident? Did you then think it would be the only defeat after nine matches?
Carl: I must admit I was quite affected by the defeat at the Beaujoire, as I was, and we all were, very confident. We thought Lens was well-tuned after some excellent European-scale preparation, and we knew that Nantes still had many internal problems. This loss brought us back down to earth and re-mobilized everyone. As a result, Lens racked up three consecutive league wins. I thought we would succumb to Lyon and Monaco, two trips that have not been successful for us (7 consecutive defeats at Gerland, no wins at Monaco since 1998). We managed to pull off two unexpected points.
N-P: Tell us about the recruitment. What do you think of Demont and Jemaa? What do they bring to the squad? Aruna Dindane was presented as one of the main attractions of the league. Describe his qualities and is he really among the great players of L1?
Carl: The summer recruitment was very targeted. Cubilier could not be retained after his loan (Monaco had set the buyout option at 2 million euros), Demont, free of any contract, came to replace him. I think we didn’t lose in the exchange. This player truly loves the shirt, he is happy in his native North and is a reliable player. His versatility (he can play as a fullback, defensive midfielder, or right midfielder) makes him a significant asset.
We haven’t seen much of Issam Jemaa since the start of the season. He came to prepare for the future. He still managed to score an express double in the Intertoto against Wolfsburg.
Aruna Dindane has had a quite curious start to the season. Recruited for about 3 million euros to succeed John Utaka, he arrived with a strong reputation behind him. He has scored only 4 goals in all competitions. We expect even more from him, hopefully, he’ll find his stride soon. Nonetheless, his talent is certainly there.
N-P: Herta Berlin, Sampdoria, Steaua Bucharest, Hammarby: Nice teams that reward a good run in the Intertoto. What are Lens’s ambitions in the UEFA? Are the supporters ready to travel across Europe? Will you be making the trips?
Carl: The management hasn’t set specific targets for this UEFA Cup, considering it as a kind of bonus. Lens wants to go as far as possible, hoping to relive the intense joys experienced in 1999 (they reached the semi-finals in this same cup, lost against Arsenal). The group is quite challenging, but there is ample opportunity to finish in the top three. As always, the irreducible Lens fans will travel. I, unfortunately, will not have that chance…
N-P: What do you think of OGC Nice and their squad? Which players do you fear? What image does Nice have in Pas-de-Calais?
Carl: Honestly, I didn’t like the Nice “block” these past years, built by Rohr. Antonetti has changed all that. Your team is one of the most offensive in the league and hasn’t been rewarded for all its efforts. You haven’t been favored by the referees either…
I certainly fear Baky Koné, who can dribble any defender in a sardine tin. His small size is paradoxically a strength, his legs are filled with dynamite. I don’t think he has much to envy from Aruna.
I also really like Yahia (who was on RCL’s radar this summer) and the tireless Balmont.
N-P: A Niçois player has played under the Sang et Or colors: Cyril Rool. What memories do you keep of this player?
Carl: Ah, good old Cyril Rool! He was with us for a long time. We liked him despite his overly impulsive temperament. This player didn’t have the career he deserved. Roland Courbis, when he was the coach of Racing in 2000, had stated that if he managed to channel his fervor in a positive way, he had the means to play with the Blues. A suicidal Mozart, in my opinion…
