How did you perceive Kita’s approach to recover the ticket revenue after the Nantes match against Drancy?
It is his most basic right not to let, but we (District 93, Editor’s note) finds that the gesture is not elegant and one would have thought that a president of Ligue 1 could be. But I find that his words afterwards are defamation in relation to the Drancy club. And the “lack of manners” is on their side: I have rarely seen changing rooms left in this state. We are in an increasingly individualistic world, his gesture does not do football any good, even less amateur football.
When it comes to collecting players in the 93 to supply their teams and training centers, they are very happy.
Following this event, the Seine-Saint-Denis district is mobilizing, but what is the root of the problem?
In fact, it kills the magic of the Coupe de France. With my Aubervilliers club, we left our recipe to an R3 club. Drancy had done the same thing in the previous round. What I mean is that we apply this tradition ourselves when we meet lower division clubs, because we know the problems of a club on a daily basis. Of course we would have liked this gesture to be perpetuated, we also know that it is customary because (Nantes did exactly the same during the 2023 edition against ES Thaon, N3 team, Editor’s note) but what we want to highlight behind that is that the Coupe de France is really a breath of fresh air for the clubs. Even beyond the clubs, for families, spectators, it is a popular festival, real celebrations, like in Bobigny opposite Angers or Drancy, where the organizations ensured the reception professionally and qualitatively.
In reality, the fight is not motivated solely by the financial aspect…
Oh no, but certainly not. We will never go begging for 13,000 euros, we don’t talk about that much anymore. Here it is Kita’s ungrateful attitude that we highlight. Especially since when it comes to recovering players in the 93 to supply their team and training center, they are very happy. So there you have it, recognition and kindness are important words, which Mr. Kita has completely forgotten. And then, through this lack of respect, it discredits and kills the image of the club, of the educators. Whereas the magic of the Cup is the meeting, the meeting of everyone, of all levels. It’s a moment of coming together, and that’s what he apparently can’t understand. With his gesture, he pushes apart two worlds that need to come closer together. Kita said « we are not cash cows ». certainly, but there is no recognition of the amateur world and what we bring to the professional world. That’s it, that’s all.
Is there a solution to avoid this kind of breakup?
Yes, I have an idea on the subject, which must be shared with elected officials and authorities. The federation provides financial grants after each qualifying round, but these are never sufficient for an amateur club. Let’s imagine that this club has to rent land, provide security and organize a friendship drink at the end. When an amateur club draws a big one, the joy only lasts a few moments. In the next four minutes you tell yourself straight, « this is the start of the problems ». No club returns its accounts, even taking into account the endowment. So, we should think about whether the FFF covers these three financial costs for the amateur host clubs, from 7e round when Ligue 2 enters the fray. I am convinced that this system can see the light of day, and reduce the inequalities between the professional and amateur world, and thus allow small teams to continue to dream.
JA Drancy furious at not being able to play at home against Nantes
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