Additional solo training, city trip and family happiness: the secrets of Arnaud Bodart’s rebirth at Standard

Hectic summer

However, these last few months have not been easy to live with for the Liégeois. He obviously had a bad time, it’s an understatement to say, the turbulent summer which was supposed to offer him a challenge abroad but which turned into a fiasco, due to a lack of a satisfactory offer for all parties.

Bodart also did not appreciate the management of his case, and had confirmation that football could definitely be a very dark environment, when other agents tried to interfere in his thinking, Mogi Bayat in the lead, by proposing a crazy deal with Union SG.

For a long time, number 16 bit his nails and asked himself a thousand questions, waiting for a credible and exciting phone call which never came.

Once the transfer window closed on September 6, he had to accept his fate and resign himself to the idea that he would remain several months without playing, Ivan Leko and the management having bet on Matthieu Epolo.

Although he was finally able to continue training regularly with the A core, Bodart was generally sidelined on the eve of matches. This was sometimes the case on D-2, depending on the needs and wishes of Ivan Leko and his staff, with whom relations are said to be strictly professional.

To his great regret, the Liégeois was therefore deprived of 11 against 11 opposition in training, just as he had been deprived of friendly matches during preparation, which may have upset him.

Additional sessions

But Bodart never gave up. He remained professional and continued to work hard, convincing himself that his time would come. On match days, he sometimes had to take an extra session. Solo or assisted by one of the academy’s goalkeeping coaches.

During these long days, inevitably psychologically trying, the 26-year-old from Liège was fortunately able to count on the unconditional support of his partner Anaïs, present on Saturday in Sclessin. During free weekends, they allowed themselves one or the other city trip to take your mind off things. On a daily basis, the pure and simple happiness of finding his young son, born in April, also allowed him to put his sporting situation into perspective. A strength that he keeps within him, with him, in every match, since he has printed the three letters of his first name on his gloves.

Down to earth, humble and determined, Bodart knows that he must continue from now on. And that this clean sheet against Cercle, after 4 reflex saves and 6 interceptions, is only the beginning of a new episode in his long history with Standard. At least until January.