“” The proverb of opposites that attracts really worked! ».
These words by Djibril Cissé summarize the respect and the esteem that the ex-a driver of AJ Auxerre and his former legendary coach, Guy Roux. Almost everything opposed these two strong personalities when the fiery kid in the south of France put his suitcases in Yonne in 1996, almost thirty years ago. Djibril was fifteen, and AJA was at the top of French football.
“” A friendly recruiter (Serge Current, editor's note) told me, we brought him. We made a test. He had so much margin and in advance on the others … We said yes right away », Said Guy Roux, marked by this pivotal moment. History is launched. Djibril Cissé has forgotten nothing. “SErge spots me to Clairefontaine. I disembark in Auxerre, there is everything. I arrive in adolescence. 700 kilometers from Arles, life change… I arrive in the middle of July, it is not the same workload. And above all I arrive in a club which has just been champion of France, won the French Cup and which is the best training center in the country. It was the best so there was a little pressure … ».
If AJA relied on its know-how in terms of detection, Guy Roux's benevolence and relationships have tipped the balance. This is another technician force: to quickly identify a family context and never neglect the human aspect. “His mom worked in a nursery school, he explains. He was the seventh child and one of his big brothers had been professional in the second division (Abu, editor's note). He came with the big brother, there was his mother. As he was 14 years old, I decided to pay his mother every month a trip with his eldest son to come and see Djibril. So for two years, every month they were entitled to two tickets and a clio in Orly, and they came to see Djibril. »»
“” He had a very good control in full speed and the ability to place himself to arm very beautiful strikes »»
A small ritual that touches the scorer in the heart.
“The coach, I call him my second father, he knows it. He knows what he represents. It is someone who kept his word towards my mother, who had strong words ” underlines Djibril Cissé, before telling an anecdote heavy with meaning. “” When Stéphane Guivarc'h came back from injury, I wanted to leave. The coach told me to trust him. And I was a little idiot we can say … I had a meeting with my big brother at the time. He said to me, 'Do you know who is this gentleman? Do you know who he came out? Cantona, Boli … I prepared for it and I got into the row. And today, thanks to him, I made this career and I became a respectable name. Thank you so much. »»
Djibril Cissé was then a raw diamond that Guy Roux was about to polish. The highlights of the budding scorer printed the retina. Two in particular. “Its speed and quality of strike, Enthuses the man again at the hat. He had a very good control in full speed and the ability to place himself to arm very beautiful strikes. It was exceptional. And it was up to us to give him the rest … “
Patelnally and perfectionist, the AJA coach had a very precise roadmap. “” I was trying to give all the tools to my footballers. You know, in football, there are 8 tools: the head, the chest and both legs. And on each leg, there are three strikes: the interior, the outside and the kick. So it's 8. He was missing the head game a little and then the left foot, we tried to improve all that … without forgetting the strong point. »»
The continuation is known to all: a shattering entry into the landscape of French football, 2 titles of top scorer in Ligue 1 (2002 and 2004) and a total of 96 goals in the French championship, including 70 with its training club. Guy Roux is in the genesis of history. “” Two, three years ago, I still wanted to cross 100 goals …, Djibril Cissé again recalled. It is not for lack of having worked my left foot and my head game. I think I would have done them with a good left foot and a good head game so I can only take myself. We are in the transmission now. And my son will be the first to whom I will transmit them. »»
“” He had a very good control in full speed and the ability to place himself to arm very beautiful strikes ”
Thirty years ago, already, it was a question of transmission. This is also the spirit of AJA. Convinced by the potential of a young footballer, Guy Roux had also been won over by his education and his values. “” Djibril has always been a very straight man. All his family, his brothers and sisters that I quickly knew, and his mother of course, are people of great moral value. And that is a considerable force. »»
Tuesday, May 27, for his jubilee, Djibril Cissé will certainly have his eyes when his children meet the one he calls his second dad.
His former teammates will be therealso, all around him: Fabien Cool, Johan Radet, Philippe Mexès, Jean-Alain Boumsong, Jean-Sébastien Jaurès, Amdy Faye, Teemu Tainio, Yann Lachuer, Olivier Kapo or even Khalilou Fadiga to name a few-is the entire first eleven-type that marked his time in the early 2000s. AJA, Christophe Pélissier, to coach his former protégés, Guy Roux will be on the bench, his bench, in this case of the abbot-deschamps of which he knows the slightest corners. Auxerre's great book will be open, chapters and generations will be intertwined. For Djibril Cissé and Guy Roux, for a moment, everything will become again as before.
Interview by Jean-Charles Danrée
