ChristopheVAFC

When you have the word ‘Hampton’ in your surname, you can only be the best, haha.

Sincere congratulations! A great final tonight! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Allez !

Come on, girls! We're with you all the way!

Matchday 5 for me

Personally, I really liked your 2024/2025 home jersey, and this year's was pretty good too. The one from two years ago, on the other hand, I wasn't a big fan, depending on taste and color, haha!

Honestly, these jerseys are really good, and they've been talked about in several national and international media outlets. I hope Hummel has some stock planned, haha!

Hello friends, I hope you're all well on the eve of the weekend. New signing for Valenciennes this morning with the arrival of experienced 33-year-old central defender Loick Landre! https://www.va-fc.com/articles/29310 I wish you a nice day, friends!

Hello friends, I hope you are well! Yesterday, the club unveiled its away kit and goalkeeper kit, inspired by the cartoon Olive and Tom (or Captain Tsubasa) for those who are familiar with it. https://www.va-fc.com/articles/29309 Also, the club played a friendly match last night against Feignies Aulnoye (National 2), winning 3-1 in the end. What do you think of the new jerseys?

Good evening, here's an interview with our CEO Yoann Godin, who explains how Sport Republic works in Valenciennes. https://www.lavoixdunord.fr/1608836/article/2025-07-22/celui-qui-met-l-argent-son-mot-dire-yoann-godin-le-dg-du-vafc-raconte-sa-marge -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Whoever puts up the money has a say": Yoann Godin, VAFC's CEO, discusses his flexibility and the contribution of Sport Republic During the VAFC training camp in Southampton, Yoann Godin gave us an interview to explain his flexibility as Valenciennes's CEO. He also explained how the northern club can benefit from the strength of the group to which he belongs. --> Yoann, beyond this training camp, how does belonging to a group that owns several clubs play out in the day-to-day running of VAFC? "There are a lot of connections in the sporting side because that remains the lifeblood of our community. There's a real desire to provide a lot of support to Mathieu (Frison, the sporting director). We also benefited from it, especially at the beginning, when there were a lot of administrative things to put back in place at the club, outside of football. Thanks to the group, we were able to quickly implement things like the smartphone app." In fact, with Southampton, we have the advantage of seeing everything they've put in place, and that can give us ideas on how to move forward in the organization. I'm talking about the non-football side of things. They're definitely ahead of us." --> Is Southampton a bit like a big brother? "In some ways, yes. An economic big brother especially. Because the economic reality of Southampton isn't the same as that of Valenciennes. And more broadly, the economics of English football isn't the same as that of French football. But that can give us ideas on things to implement at our own pace because each club is still independent. There's a shareholder who finances it, of course, but it's up to us at Valenciennes to work to maximize our revenue and become less and less dependent on the shareholder." "Today, given the level we're at, we have more advantages being in the multi-ownership business. » --> How does it work, for example, when you decide to change coaches to Stéphane Moulin? Is this decision subject to approval by Sport Republic's management? "Obviously, everything is approved at some point; I don't make the decision alone. I can submit an idea, defend it, and then they either agree with it or not. But it's logical; in the end, it's still the one who puts up the money who has the say." --> Timeshare rarely gets a good rap from fans. Coming to do an internship here and enjoying the Premier League facilities shows that there are also many advantages? "I've already said it, but I think that today, given the level we're at, we have more advantages in being in timeshare. We'll talk about it again the day we're, I hope, in Ligue 1 and we'll see. In any case, the reality today is that when there's a very good Ligue 1 player, if an English club wants him, he goes. Timeshare has little impact on the market. The real question people might ask is, at some point, do you become what we call a feeder club? That is, do you train players to send them to a higher club? Today, given our sporting reality, we're far from that; there's too much of a gap compared to the Premier League or the Championship. The challenge is first and foremost to get the club back up the ladder as quickly as possible because there's no possible sustainability in staying at the third tier. » --> Is a camp like this easier to set up when you're part of the same squad? "It was quite simple. We had a discussion with Johannes Spors (the sporting director of the Sport Republic group) and thought it would be good to put something together. Last year, we even considered the idea of holding a tournament here with the third team (the Turkish team from Goztepe). We ended up taking things step by step. We wanted to hold a camp; we could have gone to the Netherlands like last year, or to Belgium, and why not here? It's also a way for everyone to have exchanges. Stéphane (Moulin), for example, was able to talk with Will Still." "The challenge is first and foremost to get the club back up the ladder as quickly as possible because staying in the third tier isn't sustainable." --> Is it also more economically advantageous to come to Southampton? "Between the travel, the bus, and the hotel, it's not much cheaper than going to the Netherlands. But the facilities are provided free of charge, that's for sure." --> Does this first match mark the beginning of something, of even stronger ties with Southampton and perhaps even with the Turkish team Goztepe? "We're taking it step by step, we'll see what happens next. Right now, the good thing is that the players are happy; it allows us to experience something new in excellent conditions. The training ground is great." --> Is a match against Southampton a possibility? "We're already hosting Southampton's U21s in two weeks; there are already a lot of transitions to the youth teams on both sides. Now, I'll be honest with you: it's easier for us to come here than to host Southampton. We have a very nice training ground in Valenciennes, but we couldn't host them like they do here." But just one match, yes, that’s something that’s possible.”

Hello friends! I'm sharing with you a long written report from a French journalist about Sport Republic. Enjoy! -------------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.lavoixdunord.fr/1608744/article/2025-07-22/reportage-vafc-sport-republic-qui-est-vraiment-le-proprietaire-de-valenciennes --------------------------------------------------------------------- REPORT. VAFC: Sport Republic, who really owns Valenciennes? VAFC has just returned from a week-long training camp in Southampton, at the facilities of its owner's flagship club, the investment fund Sport Republic. We took advantage of this English week to try to learn a little more about those who have owned VA since June 2023, their operating methods, and their chances of success. It started like one of those youthful matches you see on amateur pitches every weekend. On Friday, before facing off for two one-hour games, the Valenciennes and Southampton squads mingled in the center of one of the pool tables at Staplewood Campus, the Saints' training ground, to pose. A family photo of sorts for two of the three clubs, along with the Turkish side Goztepe, owned by the British investment fund Sport Republic. The photo kicked off a match that was anything but friendly between the two teams, and while Gaëtan Courtet and Nathan Wood had to be separated, and almost came to blows, this brief flare-up of tension shouldn't undermine the budding closeness between the two clubs. Southampton and Valenciennes, whose red and white colors were initially their only commonality, have seen their fortunes converge following their respective acquisitions in January 2022 and June 2023, but this six-day training camp for the northern team is a first. The Franco-English relationship has so far been mainly marked by the transfer of Joachim Kayi Sanda, a VA academy graduate, to England last winter and the loan of Daouda Traoré to Hainaut last season. While the Valenciennes players took advantage of the ideal setting at their English cousins' facilities to fine-tune their preparations, including a go-kart outing, a visit to Saint Mary's Stadium, and the traditional hazing of the new players with songs, this trip across the Channel was also a great opportunity to try to understand a little more about how Sport Republic works. "I understand why you're here, because there are a lot of questions about timeshare. Personally, I don't see many advantages. Well, we have a Japanese player who was loaned to the Turkish club and has just returned, so we'll see how it goes," says Martin Sanders by way of introduction. This friendly thirty-something hosts a YouTube channel about English football, where he devotes considerable time to Southampton, as well as a podcast (TotalSaints) dedicated to the club. "On my website, local fans sometimes chat with Valenciennes fans to share their experiences." When you're a supporter and you're interested in the future of your club, it seems normal to me to try to understand how things work for others." "All of England laughed at Southampton" In this sunny July, we don't see many supporters, even though they are among the most loyal in England. The club shop next to the stadium is open, but deserted, and the holidays seem to have kept many of them away from this city in the southwest of the United Kingdom, where you can hear the seagulls squawking like in Dunkirk. The main event of the moment is the numerous graduation ceremonies at the local university, which bring families in their Sunday best and students dressed worthy of the latest Harry Potter film into the streets and pubs. Perhaps also because Saints fans need to catch their breath after a nightmare season in the Premier League, finishing last with just twelve points, only two wins and, above all, thirty defeats in thirty-eight matches. "It was a real disaster," confirms Martin Sanders. "All of England laughed at us, we became a joke because the record for the fewest number of points in a season was Derby County with eleven in 2008. No one thought it could ever be beaten and yet we came so close..." "Before Sport Republic, Southampton was owned by a Chinese group that no longer had the means to invest, nothing was moving forward. No matter how hard the club's employees worked, they couldn't see anything moving forward." Adam Blackmore, BBC English journalist and Southampton fan. "It was horrible, the worst season in the club's history, it was so heartbreaking," confirms Adam Blackmore, BBC radio reporter and longtime voice of the Saints. This hellish season was, above all, the latest vertigo experienced by Southampton fans, who have been on a veritable emotional rollercoaster since Sport Republic took over. With two relegations (2023, 2025) and a promotion to the Premier League (2024) after the play-offs in front of a packed Wembley, they already have plenty to talk about. “Before Sport Republic (SR), the club was owned by a Chinese group that no longer had the means to invest, nothing was moving, no matter how hard the club’s employees worked, they couldn’t see anything moving forward. It was a headless duck,” Adam Blackmore recalls. “So when SR arrived, there was a lot of hope for those who loved the club. Plus, they brought Rasmus Ankersen, who had done a great job at Brentford, and we immediately saw a lot of investment. And then it didn’t go in the right direction. When new owners arrive at a club, they want to make their mark, show that they have an ego, that they’re really there, I can understand that. But they made a lot of bad decisions, in recruitment, management, coaching. It’s as if they were going left when it seemed logical to go right.” There were a lot of mistakes and a lot of money wasted on players who weren't up to par." Financial Stability The amounts discussed are obviously different, but the picture painted by those familiar with the Saints is a perfect carbon copy of what Valenciennes has experienced over the past two years; it even seems almost too similar to be true. From initial hopes to a disastrous season last year with relegation to the National League, the 2024 Coupe de France semi-final for the thrills, and a host of casting errors: at VA too, the emotional roller coaster has been moving at full speed. On both sides of the Channel, they've taken the same winding path to arrive at the same conclusion: the sporting side isn't there yet, but no one is condemning Sport Republic. "Because from a financial point of view, the club is in much better shape, there's no debate about that," assures Martin Sanders. "The business side is also doing well." » Proof of this is that, despite relegation to the Championship, season tickets are a hit at Southampton, and Will Still's new team is almost guaranteed to play the entire next season in front of a full stadium (around 32,000 seats). Here again, VAFC has followed the same trajectory as its British big brother, with a successful club restructuring at all levels, sporting results that are still awaited, but financial stability that is very valuable in the National League and in the economic context of French football. So this is what multi-ownership is all about? A method applied to all clubs that produces the same results, whether good or bad? Could VA's future therefore be seen in what's happening at Southampton? "What we need is to build an environment based on data and science, conducive to performance, to develop players' talents." Dragan Solak, Serbian director of Sport Republic, owner of VAFC "If I were Valenciennes, I would be happy to belong to a group like this, which allows for financial stability, but I'm also a little worried about my good players leaving here," says Adam Blackmore. "To be honest, people here don't always understand the value of having several clubs; they think, 'Why spend money on others when you could invest everything in Southampton?' But hey, you know the fans; they always want everything for their team. I believe the system Sport Republic is implementing is especially interesting in terms of resources, skill sharing, and analysis. Each club can benefit from it. At least, Solak is fully convinced of that." Dragan Solak is taking over. Dragan Solak is the man at the top of the Sport Republic pyramid. At 60, this Serbian billionaire—who made his fortune in media and telecoms—and a supporter of Red Star Belgrade, is the financier of the investment fund. And therefore the one who makes the final decisions. Adam Blackmore is one of the few to have met the businessman, who has never yet been to Valenciennes, but is nonetheless the real boss. It was a few weeks ago when the BBC reporter was invited, along with a colleague from the Daily Echo, the local daily, to a golf course in Slovenia owned by the head of Sport Republic. "For three years, I'd been regularly requesting interviews, and suddenly things clicked. The man I met convinced me; I saw someone charismatic and engaging. Finally meeting him made me realize that our clubs are in good hands." » This interview reveals about twenty minutes of conversation in which Solak reveals part of his strategy. "We thought of the Sport Republic concept mathematically, but football is anything but mathematics. Even with the best possible strategy, there's always an element of uncertainty. Team chemistry is a science of detail. What's needed is to build an environment based on data and science, conducive to performance, to develop players' talents. Even with that, there will always be an element of uncertainty, but having several clubs allows us to help each other, and ultimately, I think we'll get there," Dragan Solak confided. This departure from the Sport Republic boss is not an accident and follows his takeover that began at the beginning of the year. Until then, the Serbian had been relatively discreet, having mainly delegated the management of his clubs, including his flagship Southampton. In January, he stepped out of the shadows and took over as chairman, the equivalent of president, replacing the Dane Henrick Kraft, who was ousted at the same time as VAFC's president in favor of the Belgian Dirk Gerkens. "It will never be officially announced, but Dragan Solak has had enough of the lack of results," explains Adam Blackmore. "It's his money that's at stake, he's not crazy, he wants his affairs to be well managed." "He was furious about what was being done with his money," adds Martin Sanders. "So he took the reins, and it's probably for the best. Since he's been there, we feel more leadership." "I've regained faith." Observers of the Saints are unanimous: while the change in leadership didn't prevent relegation to the Championship, Southampton has found more stability and consistency in its approach. It's also possible to cut a few heads, if necessary. The arrival of German Johannes Spors as the group's sporting director in February was particularly welcomed. "After relegation two years ago, it was as if a storm had hit the city; it was a catastrophe. Many players left, whereas now, despite the terrible season we've just had, things are paradoxically more serene. They made a good choice of coach in Will Still and a recruitment that seems intelligent and logical," summarizes Adam Blackmore. "If you had spoken to me at the end of last year, I would have told you how worried I was..." Adam Blackmore, on the situation at VAFC Here again, this analysis closely matches the situation in Valenciennes, where, after two years of procrastination and a string of poor sporting decisions, real coherence is emerging from the arrival of Stéphane Moulin and the accompanying transfer window. Decisions have also been made in the North. The failure of former sporting director Ben Chorley has been confirmed, and he has been replaced by Mathieu Frison, while general manager Yoann Godin has been strengthened in recent months. Finally, the right formula for everyone? Our BBC colleague wants to believe it. "If you had spoken to me at the end of last year, I would have told you how worried I was," Blackmore confesses. "But the direction taken in recent months, seeing Solak get involved, reassures me. I think it can work, I've found my faith again." The same faith that continues to inspire the faithful at Saint Mary's Stadium in Southampton and those at the Hainaut Stadium in Valenciennes.

Southampton 🤝 Valenciennes

Dear friends, A few hours after the very first match between our two teams in their history, I want to tell you how I felt: I sincerely wanted this match to be played in front of an audience so that it could be a celebration between the supporters of the two clubs. I've been hoping for the last few weeks that the decision would change, but unfortunately it didn't. I guess we had to respect the decision of Will Still and Sport Republic... I remember your friendly match last summer with Goztepe and the good exchanges between supporters... Beyond the fact that the match was played in front of an audience, it's a shame that it wasn't broadcast on television or even live on paper. It's another decision that we have to accept, which I think is a shame... As for the two matches, I wouldn't worry about the scores, really, what matters most to me is that our two teams were able to take advantage of the opportunity to work on their game, their new habits, and get things right so that they're ready for the season ahead. There's work to do for both our teams and I have no doubt that Will Still and Stephane Moulin will give it their all to make it work. I hope that in May 2026, we'll all be able to celebrate, and why not a double league title? Allez Valenciennes, and Allez Southampton!

A player who can make all the difference this season!

https://www.lavoixdunord.fr/1607833/article/2025-07-18/vafc-du-caractere-et-des-progres-pour-finir-la-semaine-anglaise-de-valenciennes

Let me reassure you, we've already had players who, when they had the ball, I can tell you we had cold sweats in the stands haha

😅

Resume matchs:

🫣🫣

Reaction from Valenciennes coach Stéphane Moulin after Southampton/VAFC: -------------- -> Stéphane, VA, just played Southampton twice in two different matches (1-1) and (1-0). What did you take away from this double encounter? The first match was very interesting against strong opposition. We were already able to stop this Southampton team as a team. We certainly suffered, but we showed a lot of consistency in our play without the ball and with it, although I hope we'll do better! But the emphasis during the training camp was precisely on the defensive aspect, and I think we showed a bit of a difference in that area, so it's rather positive. And then the second match, with players who were a little less connected, I would say, because they didn't play much together, I would say the opposition also lived up to my expectations. Even though we lost the match 1-0, we could have equalized. We had a magnificent chance with three minutes left, but the balance of power wasn't in our favor. But I think we were able, with our resources, to keep up the good work and survive at times. That's interesting for the future because the foundation of the training camp was once again cohesion, both off the pitch and on the pitch, but also, once again, the collective aspect of the defensive aspect. So I think that in this area, we've made good progress, we've made good progress. There's still work to be done, obviously, but we're on the right track. --> With an intensity worthy of a competitive match! It was a "Yes!" After all, the English are also fond of this kind of opposition. There are no friendlies for them. And then, well, we have exceptional working conditions. The pitch was watered, the weather was nice, so everything was in place for a good match, and it was a good match, so it's interesting. Now we're going to rest well to get on with the third week of work next week with two matches on the schedule. And we're going to work a little more on the matches than on the week's work. --> This double match concludes a six-day training camp in Southampton. What is your assessment of this training camp? Are you satisfied? Yes, it's positive! We found what we came looking for, once again: cohesion on and off the pitch, that the players get to know each other, that we get to know them too, and also connections on the pitch because that's the essence of our job, and I think that in this area too, we're making progress. We had remarkable conditions, both in terms of infrastructure. The pitch is quite incredible, the quality of the fields, and we were also fortunate to have favorable weather. So that enhances everything we've put in place, so it's a positive training camp; we have no injuries. We're going into the third week of training, and we have no injuries, so that's also important because when you have too many injuries, you end up shooting the same ones and therefore risk increasing the number of injuries. So, no, it was a really good training camp in all areas. So I'd say it was a success. --> Thank you very much Stéphane!

Reaction from Valenciennes coach Stéphane Moulin after Southampton/VAFC: -> Stéphane, VA, just played Southampton twice in two different matches (1-1) and (1-0). What did you take away from this double encounter? The first match was very interesting against strong opposition. We were already able to stop this Southampton team as a team. We certainly suffered, but we showed a lot of consistency in our play without the ball and with it, although I hope we'll do better! But the emphasis during the training camp was precisely on the defensive aspect, and I think we showed a bit of a difference in that area, so it's rather positive. And then the second match, with players who were a little less connected, I would say, because they didn't play much together, I would say the opposition also lived up to my expectations. Even though we lost the match 1-0, we could have equalized. We had a magnificent chance with three minutes left, but the balance of power wasn't in our favor. But I think we were able, with our resources, to keep up the good work and survive at times. That's interesting for the future because the foundation of the training camp was once again cohesion, both off the pitch and on the pitch, but also, once again, the collective aspect of the defensive aspect. So I think that in this area, we've made good progress, we've made good progress. There's still work to be done, obviously, but we're on the right track. --> With an intensity worthy of a competitive match! It was a "Yes!" After all, the English are also fond of this kind of opposition. There are no friendlies for them. And then, well, we have exceptional working conditions. The pitch was watered, the weather was nice, so everything was in place for a good match, and it was a good match, so it's interesting. Now we're going to rest well to get on with the third week of work next week with two matches on the schedule. And we're going to work a little more on the matches than on the week's work. --> This double match concludes a six-day training camp in Southampton. What is your assessment of this training camp? Are you satisfied? Yes, it's positive! We found what we came looking for, once again: cohesion on and off the pitch, that the players get to know each other, that we get to know them too, and also connections on the pitch because that's the essence of our job, and I think that in this area too, we're making progress. We had remarkable conditions, both in terms of infrastructure. The pitch is quite incredible, the quality of the fields, and we were also fortunate to have favorable weather. So that enhances everything we've put in place, so it's a positive training camp; we have no injuries. We're going into the third week of training, and we have no injuries, so that's also important because when you have too many injuries, you end up shooting the same ones and therefore risk increasing the number of injuries. So, no, it was a really good training camp in all areas. So I'd say it was a success. --> Thank you very much Stéphane!

by https://www.va-fc.com/articles/29228 ----------------------------------- A Draw and a Loss for VAFC Against Southampton in a Friendly For the first time in their history, VAFC and Southampton faced off in a warm-up match this Friday, July 18th, at the English club's Staplewood training ground. Members of the Sport Republic group for two years, the first teams of the two clubs had never met before. The two matches played this Friday therefore cemented the connections that now exist between France and England. Because it wasn't just one match, but two separate one-hour encounters played at Staplewood with two completely different team lineups on each side. An Intense, Committed, and Balanced First Match In the first match, VAFC clearly matched the Championship team, with an intensity more akin to a competitive match than a friendly. Physical and committed, the match started well for Valenciennes, who opened the scoring in the 17th minute thanks to Baghdadi, who was well-played by Courtet. VA then came close to doubling their lead when Baghdadi passed to Ipiélé, whose shot went just wide of Ramsdale's goal (26th minute). But England responded with Brereton Diaz's volley missing the target (27th minute). In the second half, Southampton pushed for an equalizer and finally found the net in the 47th minute with a cross shot from Archer. A rather logical draw after a solid, technical, and committed performance from VAFC. Southampton-VAFC (1-1). Goals: Archer (47th minute) for Southampton; Baghdadi (17th) for VAFC VAFC: Louchet - Abu, Coeff, Thomas (cap), Wahib - K. Diomandé, Rouai - Ipiélé, Baghdadi, Appuah - Courtet Southampton: Ramsdale - Bree, Stephens, Wood, Manning-Charles, Downes (Sesay, 36th), Edozie, Fraser, Brereton Diaz-Archer A second match in favor of Southampton For the second match, things were a little more complicated for VA. Dominated from the start, the Red and Whites conceded the opening goal in the 11th minute, thanks to Armstrong's lurking effort after Stewart's shot hit Justin Lacombe's post. A Valenciennes goalkeeper had to pull out all the stops just before halftime, deflecting a header that was heading into the net (28th). In the second half, VA attempted to respond with a Nyemb shot that went wide of the English goal (38th minute). But it was Oyewusi, late in the match (57th minute), who created the best opportunity with a cross back into the box that was blocked at the last moment. Ultimately, Southampton won the second half, marking the end of an intense training camp in England for Valenciennes. Their next match is this Wednesday, July 23rd, against Feignies (6 p.m.) during the season-ticket holders' fan day. Southampton-VAFC 1-0. Goal: Armstrong (11th) for Southampton VAFC: Lacombe - A.Diomandé, Niakaté (Kebbeh, 31st), Tremoulet, Koum - Belloumou (Boissier, 31st), Collet (Moursou, 31st), Sissoko (cap) - Buades (Kouakou, 45th), Oyewusi, Kouakou (Nyemb, 31st) Southampton: Mc Carthy - Sugawara, Kayi Sanda, Quarshie, Taylor - Welington, Smallbone, Aribo - Armstrong, Robinson, Stewart

Visit to Saint Mary's Stadium for Valenciennes yesterday!

Second newspaper article of the day by Julien Dufurier from 'La Voix du Nord': https://www.lavoixdunord.fr/1607583/article/2025-07-18/vafc-j-ai-envie-de-faire-plus-stredair-appuah-veut-hausser-le-niveau-pour-son

Today's press article by Julien Dufurier from 'La Voix du Nord': https://www.lavoixdunord.fr/1607578/article/2025-07-18/vafc-un-autre-monde-southampton-c-est-la-creme-anglaise-pour-valenciennes