FC 93, quality street – Coupe de France – 32nd – FC93-Angers

On November 30, the magic happened again. But yes, you know: those famous sparks that only the Cup can offer. This time, it was a Seine-Saint-Denis derby which served as the scene, seeing FC 93 eliminate its old and prestigious neighbor Red Star on penalties. And like any magic trick, this has a consequence: the National 2 resident has earned the right to play the most important match in its short history. Sunday December 22, 32^es of the Coupe de France final, in its Auguste-Delaune stadium in Bobigny and against Angers: on this day a new stone will be laid in the construction of this rapidly developing club.

After almost 15 years of construction and underground negotiations, Fooball Club 93 Bobigny officially saw the light of day in 2020. Born from a coalition between Athletic Club Bobigny, USM Gagny and Bagnolet Académie, the project seemed unachievable. Bobigny is a historic national level, Gagny and Bagnolet rely on a reservoir of trainers and players: each entity was in its own lane and did not seem to have the deep desire to join forces. So much so that the one who is today the sporting director of the cartel, Siné Danioko, had difficulty believing in the dream of his friend Mahamadou Niakaté, the current president. « I told myself that it was complicated to convince people, but Mahamadou was sure of thatplays the first one again. He tells me that if we don’t do it, we will never succeed in having a professional club in the department. » But through discussions, it all ended up taking shape.

To arms citizens

It must be said that FC 93 has set itself a mission: that of uniting. « The socio-educational role is the heart of the project, and football is only 40% of our activity. » At the heart of the project, there is the human. In such a densely populated department, where different forms of precariousness coexist, the environment can be difficult to live in. FC93 has established itself as a support structure for all members, who, by agreeing to wear the club jersey, then agree to be supervised and supported. « We can’t just do football. Our role is to prepare the citizens of tomorrow, assures Danioko. The kid you take into your association, you take him with his qualities, his faults, his problems. You must intervene at the school level, sometimes at the family level, continue the education given by the parents. We provide homework help, internships and, for older people, sometimes social reintegration. »

This role of support for the staff is to prepare a player to become an adult, but not necessarily a professional player. Aware that their flock will not all set foot in the professional world, Siné Danioko and his colleagues prepare their licensees to anticipate footballing failure and prepare a plan B. « The figures are aberrant, less than 1% of young people in training centers sign pro, so in reality, there are more kids coming out. » And when we know to what extent Île-de-France is a mine of talent for professional football, we must be aware that the number of disappointed people will be proportionally as large as those who succeed.

An offer to meet demand

More than in São Paulo, the Ile-de-France region is today the world’s largest breeding ground for footballers. However, a problem has emerged: these players are exporting and shining elsewhere. They no longer stay in the local clubs, because they are not professional enough. Seeing them shine at PSG is not a given either: the flagship club has not always left as much room for local products as it currently does with Warren Zaire-Emery or Randal Kolo Muani. From this observation were born the long-term ambitions of FC 93: integrate, train, develop and retain licensed players.

From National 2 to the professional divisions, the road is long, but FC 93 has a plan to try to reach these levels. With an effective communication policy and influence game, players with rich professional careers have joined the club. Like Younousse Sankharé, 35 years old, Ligue 1 expert, who moved to PSG, Dijon, Lille and Bordeaux, joined recently by Bakary Sako, 36 years old. This regular in Premier League games with Wolverhampton and Crystal Palace in particular arrived at the club through rapper Sefyu, an investor in FC 93. « It’s a publicity stunt for us, but beyond bringing in players who have a career, we need to bring in players who have the same values ​​as us.comments Danioko. These players will take us a step further. » Due to their experience in the professional world, these figures have undeniable credibility, and their status makes it possible to frame, explain and support the youngest, still in training. « They return to the suburbs, to give back what we gave them, ultimately. You come back to where you started, you transmit a little of your strength, your wisdom in a human project. »

A suburban love

Gradually, FC 93 went through stages and above all knew how to create a real identity. By representing the working-class suburbs, and Seine-Saint-Denis in particular, and by asserting the role of a social club, it manages to reach a whole segment of players: those who come from there. Certainly, the Red Star is there and there with its historical dimension and its anchoring on the left, but it reaches a much wider audience than the “raw” 93. In Bobigny, we affirm the baggage and the image of the street. The same street which brings to life all the superstars we know. The Balbynian club, attached to its roots, sports the department number in its name, and wishes to become THE suburban club par excellence, on a national scale, with its own state of mind. Siné Danioko: « This state of mind is to never doubt, dare, go where you are told not to go. When we come from the suburbs, they put us in boxes. So we have a street side, but we know how to organize ourselves, structure ourselves, we can be beautiful, efficient, and in all areas. » Behind this tirade, the sports director points out a recurring evil in our society: « We are not investing enough in the suburbs so that all talents, regardless of the field, can express themselves. Today, it’s a struggle. » It’s up to the SCO to rub shoulders with this roaring suburb.

Nzola’s novel