Sharply eliminated from the Coupe de France in the 32nd finals by ESTAC Troyes (3-0), the club of Metz has only one objective left for the 2024-2025 season: the rise of Ligue 2 in Ligue 1! The priority of the Metz leaders and the professional group is obviously that of the captain Matthew Howl who, at 28, is completing his 10th professional season with the Garnets. But the excellent left side trained at the club could have left last summer, when the Greens of Saint-Étienne (promoted by virtue of their victory over Metz in the play-offs) tried to recruit him.
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If the subject is sometimes taboo or sensitive for certain footballers, the Metz defender agreed to explain to France Bleu Lorraine Nord his feelings about this complicated period for everyone. Including for its leaders who categorically refused to let him leave, as well as for the supporters who did not want to see a symbol of the Moselle team leave:
“It took me some time to let go of the frustration, but today I am completely focused on being involved, for a while now, in the collective objectives. There's a climb to be had, we'll see what happens afterwards. It wasn't an easy time to deal with because it was the first time I was able to experience such a summer, where I was so close to leaving the club. In the end, my idea was never to enter into conflict with the club, due to our shared history. It would be ugly to go the wrong way. Afterwards, of course if we don't manage to climb back up, it will be difficult to say that I still want to stay if I have opportunities to go higher. But if we move up, with the staff in place and their ideas, if the club's ambitions go in this direction it could be interesting to continue, again and again. We don't know until when! »
Source : francebleu.fr
Photo Daniel Derajinski/Icon Sport
