Nice-Première: How is your integration into Valenciennes going, both in the club and in the city?
Sébastien Roudet: I was very well received by my teammates. I have known Steve Savidan, Laurent Dufresne, and Thomas Dossevi from Châteauroux. They made my integration easier. I was pleasantly surprised by the club’s facilities. There is everything needed to work well, with a training ground, a stabilizer, and a gym for winter days when it will be hard to train on grass. And then there is the project of building a new stadium. I was also pleasantly surprised by the city. I was expecting a “cold” city but that’s not the case. It has been renovating for two or three years, somewhat like Châteauroux. The city center of Valenciennes is very nice.
NP: You were injured and missed the beginning of the season. Isn’t it more complicated to integrate?
Sébastien Roudet: I got injured at the end of the physical preparation. It’s annoying to be sidelined even if you see your teammates. It’s a handicap. I missed the first four matches due to this tear. I wasn’t used to such a physically demanding preparation at the start of the season. It was much harder than in Nice. In fact, all the newcomers to Valenciennes got injured. But now I am fit. I train normally. I played the last two matches against Lens and Monaco as a starter. It’s a bit tough because it resulted in two defeats. I hope I’m not the unlucky charm. I don’t have all my bearings on the field with my teammates yet but in two or three games it should be fine.
NP: You played extra time against Monaco in the Coupe de la Ligue on Wednesday. Will you approach the match in Nice tired?
Sébastien Roudet: We will feel the effects of Wednesday’s extra time. But Antoine Kombouaré rotated the squad. Five or six players got some rest. But for those who played the full 120 minutes in the cup match, it takes a toll. Moreover, being eliminated on penalties with just one miss that hit the post is disappointing. We’ll try to bounce back strongly on Saturday in the championship.
NP: Tell us about Antoine Kombouaré. What’s special about him?
Sébastien Roudet: His speech convinced me to come. You can always count on him. I am getting to know him. He gives good advice and tries to make you feel at ease. And he was a good player with a history in football.
NP: Will you play on Saturday at the Ray?
Sébastien Roudet: I played the whole match on Wednesday. I’m not sure I’ll be at my best but I would like to play at the Ray. I want to return to that stadium.
NP: What does this stadium and this club mean to you?
Sébastien Roudet: It’s the stadium of my first steps in Ligue 1, of my first goal. I will always remember the 4-3 victory in Monaco. It was a memorable match. There’s also the Coupe de la Ligue final… The Ray is about the atmosphere of the supporters. When you play, you almost get goosebumps. I had two good seasons there and then there is the climate. I also kept friends like Flo, Hugo, Jeremy… whom I often talk to on the phone.
NP: What did you say to “Flo” Balmont on the phone Thursday?
Sébastien Roudet: We joked around. He tried to put pressure on me and on Valenciennes. I replied that the pressure was more on Nice. He told me he was looking forward to having a duel with me during the match. It was friendly teasing. I will be delighted to see him again and my former teammates.
NP: Do you fear the welcome from the supporters? Have you imagined being booed?
Sébastien Roudet: I think about it a little. I don’t think they will be mean to me. I was straightforward for two years. I gave my all for them. And I think they are smart enough to understand why I left.
NP: Do you have a message for them?
Sébastien Roudet: A message? I thank them very much for their welcome two years ago and their support. I wasn’t able to prove my worth. I would have liked to have given them more pleasure and had the chance to bring them joy. I left a bit like a thief and regret not being able to say goodbye.
NP: You appreciate the supporters, your former teammates, the club, and the city. So, was your departure due to Frédéric Antonetti?
Sébastien Roudet: I didn’t quite understand his choices. I was giving my all in training and then on Saturday I was on the bench or sometimes not even in the squad of sixteen. But Frédéric Antonetti is a very good coach. I learned a lot. But I needed to play. Now I am focusing on Valenciennes.
NP: You must follow the Aiglons’ results. Are you surprised by this last-place ranking?
Sébastien Roudet: I am surprised but I’m not the only one. Everyone expected to see OGC Nice more at the top of the table rather than at the bottom. When I talk to the players, they tell me the locker room atmosphere has changed. Losing Sammy, who was lively and a locker room leader, must contribute to this. Let’s not forget there were nine departures, young players joined the first team, and two recruits arrived. It takes time to adapt. But this last place, compared to the level of play and the squad, is not deserved. It’s a topsy-turvy world! OGC Nice will have better days. But hopefully after the match against Valenciennes.
