Scorer Steve Ngoura represents the new wave of Le Havre

The scene was repeated at every gathering in recent months. In Clairefontaine against Morocco in October, then in Marbella against Denmark, ten days ago, the recruiters returned from the meetings of the France U 20 team with a common reflection. Within a 2005 generation which, beyond the gifted already above (D. Doué, Tel…), is not overflowing with offensive talents, Le Havre Steve Ngoura was an exception.

Size (1.93 m), depth skills, efficiency in front of goal (7 goals in his last 5 selections): the HAC striker was the one we were talking about along the handrail: “He is a player who is full of activity, comfortable with his back to goal, also capable of playing deep. There is waste of course, he is 19 years old, but we feel that he is a complete attacker, with potential, very attracted to the goaldeciphers an English scout. Potentially, he could be a very good L1 attacker. We already knew him (213 minutes in L1 last season). But obviously, we wondered about its low use at the start of the season”.

“He has not reached his physical fullness but he is a complete attacker, very very skillful in front of goal”

A budding reputation, shared within the FFF, which until Sunday and its entry into Nantes (2-0), punctuated by its first goal in the elite, had not found a very concrete extension in the Championship (71 minutes in 11 days). In Normandy, the qualities of Ngoura, who arrived at the HAC training center in 2019, have been known for years. Its flaws too: “He’s a boy who has a very atypical profile. He has not reached his physical fullness but he is a complete attacker, very very skillful in front of goal. When he speaks with the French team, we always get very positive feedback.explains François Rodrigues, his ex-trainer in Le Havre, who left with the Saudi Arabian selection. Now, Steve is a very endearing boy but he needs to evolve in his discipline, in his daily life. Being a pro isn’t just about having talent, it’s also about everything that goes along with it. But I am very happy that he scored this weekend, it confirms that he has characteristics for the high level.”

A player with potential but who needs to be surrounded

In sessions, with the first team, the native of Ivry-sur-Seine, who played for clubs at Vitry then Choisy-le-Roi, has not always managed in recent weeks to transcribe his potential. And his progress was made after attentive and demanding monitoring from the staff. With the need, for this young man, not always mature, to be supported to get the best out of himself. Hence his absence from the Le Havre group over the last three days. At the FFF, we confirm this “Norman” impression. That of a player with potential but who needs to be surrounded – and therefore often personalized support – to fully express himself.

“This goal will bring him confidence and prospects for Didier Digard »

Could this goal in Nantes be a turning point for a player who, during this period without playing time in the first team, clung to his successful call-ups for the Blues? At the HAC, we heard yesterday, above all, the ” protect “ requests and ensure that his progress this season is continuous. “This goal will give Didier Digard confidence and prospects. His room for improvement is very interesting”explains François Rodrigues. He needs to mature but I believe in him”. Until recently, the question of a potential loan this winter arose. Belgian, German and Scandinavian clubs (Denmark, Norway), on the same model as Hugo Ekitike

were interested in the profile. The Nantes match may have changed his course…