After many years in England, Anthony Knockaert had made the choice to move closer to his family and return to France in Ligue 2 at Valenciennes last season. The 32-year-old player has not had an easy year, unfortunately marked by the relegation of the northern club to National 1. Guest of the last Podcast of the Club of Fivethe former Leicester or Fulham explains why the end of his time at VA was marked by being sidelined, just a few weeks after a great Coupe de France semi-final in Lyon. He also explains his choice to have retired from the professional world at only 32 years old.
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His choice to retire at 32
“With Valenciennes, personally, it went well. In terms of the team, it was, if I may say so, not the best I have known. We lacked quality to hope for better. It was a good group on a human level, we had a good laugh despite the results because it’s not the end of the world, it’s still football. But it was the most difficult year in terms of football in my career. I was respected in the locker room, but I couldn’t do more offensively or defensively. I was used to playing with much higher quality players. And when it is, your own qualities stand out much more. I had been thinking about retiring for years. I didn’t know when, but I thought about it. With VA, I returned to a normal life after being abroad for a long time. I’m very family-oriented, perhaps that’s why I withdrew from football little by little. I saw my son growing up, it was a click. The further I went, the harder it became mentally. A football player needs to be good in his head to be good on the pitch. »
His difficult end to the season at VA
“I made my decision to retire not long after the semi-final of the Coupe de France in Lyon. There was an episode shortly after that match. I had a very good match, even coach Ahmed Kantari told me that first. I respect him a lot. But there was a misunderstanding that I did not accept. Three days after Lyon, we played in Annecy. During the week, the coach told me that I had been exemplary etc. And in Annecy, we sit on a terrace and he tells me that he wants me as number 10 the following season. If he remained coach, it was possible that I would stay, but everything would depend on the financial proposition too. In short, we play in Annecy, I have a good match, then we host Pau the following week. I felt in his pre-match speech that he was not the coach as usual. At the end of the 28th minute, he took out 3 players including me, and we lost 1-0. He asked me to take number 6 like in Lyon with Matic that day, but the motivation wasn’t the same, I didn’t follow him everywhere either. But offensively, I played my game. I may have had an oversized ego my whole career but that was my strength, that’s how I succeeded. When I left, I didn’t make a scandal, I went back to the locker room then home during the match. The coach took it very badly, he took it personally. I was punished the following week with a teammate who shared the same sanction. Except that he was taken into the group and not me. Behind, I received a message very late on Sunday evening to tell me that I was still going to run alone all week. The following week, I rejoined the group in training but I didn’t play anymore. My last match was therefore that of Pau where I came off in the 28th minute…”
Photo Dave Winter/FEP/Icon Sport
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