ChristopheVAFC

I like your shirts for the new season, my friends. I think that during the season, I'll be ordering your home jersey that I won't hesitate to wear at Valenciennes. May these shirts bring you luck and all the best for the new season, my friends!

The championship was announced yesterday afternoon. It's not going to be an easy championship, as there are a number of clubs who have played at the top level recently (Nimes / Sochaux / Dijon / Troyes or Bordeaux / Nancy). I think that if we want to get back up there straight away, we'll have to give it our best shot from the outset, be keen to win games, and I think that with positive results, this will help to build a good dynamic for the group. I'm personally confident, but only the truth on the pitch will matter. As a little anecdote, the calendar you shared comes from a page that I manage myself. Don't hesitate to subscribe (Allow me to do a little self-promotion haha) https://www.facebook.com/VAFCSupporters

Hello friends! First pre-season friendly match yesterday in front of almost 650 supporters. Against a team we call the UNFP (union of professional football players), which isn't really a club but a training course for players without a club (unemployed). For this first match, the aim was to get the intensity right away and to get almost everyone playing (the players all played around 45 minutes). Starting with a win is always good for morale and confidence. The aim is to continue our preparations before the start of the new season on 16 August.

Good evening, folks. I hope you enjoy the match tonight. Avenge France against the Spaniards! I'm watching the match and I'll be right behind your team! Go England!

Congratulations on your penalty shoot-out win over Switzerland! Welcome to the UEFA Euro 2024 semi-finals!

Honestly, when I'm in Valenciennes I come across a lot of English club shirts (Manchester City and Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool especially) but otherwise no-one but me wears the occasional shirt I bought when I visited you.

Front and back photo of the jersey I took yesterday.

Feedback from Valenciennes fans has been fairly positive - they like the design and quality of the shirt. The most important thing now is that the shirt is our lucky charm for next season and takes us back to the second division as quickly as possible.

Hello friends! I hope you're well and that the holidays are going well for some of you too! Yesterday, the presentation of the new home shirt for next season took place in front of Valenciennes town hall. A new equipment supplier (Hummel) and the return of an old sponsor (Toyota). Sold in shops for €70 (£59.30). Link to online shop: https://boutique.va-fc.com/products/maillot-domicile-saison-2024-2025 Video presentation of the shirt by the club: https://boutique.va-fc.com/products/maillot-domicile-saison-2024-2025 What do you think, folks? Have a great day!

Hello friends! I'm currently watching France and tonight I'll be watching England! Enjoy the match!

Hello ! I haven't had any further news about the tournament, but I have received information from your CEO, Mister Phil Parsons, dated 8 May 2024: "Hi Christophe, unfortunately due to the league starting dates we have had to cancel the evening. I hope it will happen the following summer. I hope you are well. Phil " I don't think the decision will be changed. Have a nice day.

I don't see it that way either. The 3 clubs each have their own way of doing things, and when I came here I didn't see any loss of identity on your part - quite the contrary! SR's management of our 3 clubs is quite different from that of other timeshares such as City Group... I'm also surprised that the governance has kept the coach and the sporting director, but I think that if next season goes badly, decisions will be taken very quickly.

It's true that the first year of Sport Républic's presidency didn't live up to our expectations, dear colleagues, but it's worth remembering that SR took over the club in a very poor state, both in terms of facilities and finances. It takes time for things to fall into place and you have to be patient. You only have to look at SR's first year in charge at our friends Southampton and Goztepe to see that it wasn't easy either. I won't go back over our former president, who made a lot of mistakes over 9 years, because you have to know how to move forward. I'm convinced that the coming season will be much better for us.

The possibility of Joachim signing for Southampton is real for me, but at the moment there's very little information coming out in the media on the subject. He's a player with a lot of potential and I don't think SR are going to let him go to other clubs, I'd rather know he's with you.

https://www.va-fc.com/articles/22467 DNCG = National Management Control Department

For the time being, VAFC have recruited a goalkeeper who will probably be number 2 and will also play in the reserve team. As far as the current squad is concerned, there's not a lot of movement at the moment, because the clubs, including Valenciennes, are going through a hearing before the financial police, who check the clubs' finances every season. I think we'll have quite a few departures (between the end of contracts and players who don't want to play in the French 3rd division). The aim is to recruit less but better, players with a better mentality and a winning culture too.

The last few games have been much better, but it's still the end of the season with teams already on holiday and players wanting to show themselves to agents and scouts...

His retention as coach has left many fans sceptical, and many would have liked to see a change at the head of the first team. The sporting director has decided to keep him on as coach. Now it's up to him to show that he can turn the tide against him. What also helps him is that this year he is taking a UEFA-recognised diploma, the Brevet d'entraîneur de football professionnel (BEPF)... Personally, I'm not convinced, but I hope he can silence the criticism of many Valenciennes fans. To be continued...

Goodbye Acerbis ! Welcome Hummel ! https://www.va-fc.com/articles/22440

https://www.va-fc.com/articles/22397

Hello everyone. Some news from my team. Things are generally quiet, with very little information on player recruitment. Back to training on Monday 24 June 2024. First league matchday on Friday 16 August 2024. Training camp: It's scheduled for 22-28 July, probably in the same place as last summer, in Horst, in the east of the Netherlands, not far from the German border. A ‘Fan Day’ is planned for early August. Regarding the potential tournament with you and Goztepe: ‘The three-team tournament with VAFC will not take place in the end, as the schedules of the three clubs are not compatible. Have a nice day!

Very interesting press article from the local media ‘Le 11 Valenciennois’ after season 1 of Sport Républic at your home in Valenciennes. https://le11hdf.fr/vafc-peut-on-encore-faire-confiance-au-projet-sport-republic/

In our case, even if the sportsman has not succeeded, there have been major changes in the day-to-day management of the club, with the introduction of round tables to gather the wishes of supporters, the introduction of an application, improved communications, regular meetings with the heads of supporters' groups, etc. The management is listening and making proposals to ensure that everyone wins. Apart from the sporting side of things, there's a lot of positive things going on, and the SR management have constantly reminded us that they won't be leaving us any time soon and that they want to set up something good here. I'm confident, as I keep saying when I see the projects in Goztepe and Southampton. The effort will pay off sooner or later, I'm convinced of that.

I agree with that. The 3 of us haven't had the same destiny, with 2 accessions and one relegation, but I remain confident for the future. The first year of managing Sport Républic still didn't go very well but the second was much better, both for you and our friends from Goztepe. Back home, I think SR didn't take this first year very well, as it was difficult for everyone, but now that they've got the club under control, they know where they're going and I'm convinced that they're already working hard to put something good in place. Given what our club had become before the takeover, we were on the brink of filing for bankruptcy and closing the club, and I'll never thank SR for taking charge of my club. I'm still very happy to be part of the big Sport Républic family and I know that in the near future, we'll be able to benefit from the new forces at work.

Thank you for sharing the press article. 🙂