Ishmaël, can you tell us about your childhood?
“I lived in the 19th arrondissement in Paris. My parents were separated, so I grew up with my father, my stepmother, and my older sister. I think I can say that I had a happy childhood. It's simple, I went to school and whenever I could I caught a ball to play Football. For me, school was a bit complicated (laughs). I was a student « normal », but I really only had football on my mind. I looked forward to recess. I went to school because it was compulsory, and I needed to have a spare tire in case I failed to reach my goal. »
Where does this love for this sport come from?
“This passion comes from my father, he is a football fan. He accompanied me all the time and debriefed me on my performances on the way home. It was very valuable, because it taught me to be rigorous. He always gave me advice on how to improve, which allows me to be so demanding of myself today. I feel like I always wanted to be a professional footballer. »
What is your first memory with football?
“I would say it was the tournaments when I was little. It was always a special atmosphere where we got up in the morning and played football until the evening. All day long, we played one game after another and between them, we always had a ball at our feet. We spent this free time playing little games with each other. When you're little and you spend a day like that, it's “treat”. We played good football, at least that was our impression (laughs). We won often and had a lot of fun playing together. »
It seems that you played your first derby at a very young age…
“Indeed, I was licensed in a club in the 19th arrondissement, at FC Solitaires Paris Est. The pitch was downstairs from my house, and we shared it with Espérance Paris. When you entered the premises, there was a corridor on the left and one on the right, we were on one side and them on the other. There was animosity between the two clubs, but most of the players knew each other. They went to school together and came from the same neighborhood. I had friends in the team opposite, so despite the rivalry, it remained a good atmosphere. »
Today, are you still in contact with certain players who trained alongside you?
” Yes of course. I am happy to have kept several friends from that time. We have a WhatsApp group where we write to each other frequently. Some former teammates also come to see me play sometimes, especially when we play in Paris. Of my generation, I think I am the only one to have turned professional with Lossémy Karaboué. We actually found ourselves in Sedan a few years later. »
How did you end up in Sedan?
“My agent got me a trial there and I was very happy with it. When the managers of Sedan offered me a one-year contract, I didn't hesitate for a single second. At that moment, I was the happiest man in the world. Being a professional was my dream since I was little and I had finally arrived. I had the fangs, the desire to taste this environment and progress. »
Can we say that the words loyalty and reliability define you perfectly?
“Indeed, we can say that. In my 18-year career, I have worn the jerseys of four clubs and that is not necessarily frequent. As long as a club trusts me and I feel good there, I don't necessarily see the point in leaving. »
Finally, let's talk about the present. What are your thoughts on these first months of competition?
“We have a good squad, but the Ligue 2 championship is far from easy. You have to know how to question yourself after each day and fight during all the meetings. We have a new way of playing and in the matches that we lose, we still play beautiful football. We lack that little extra soul to successfully put the ball in the back of the net. When we open the score, we know that the match is taking a different turn. Lately, especially away from home, we've been losing goals quickly and that's weighing us down for the future. We are determined to reverse the trend to move forward and achieve positive results. »
