Valenciennes

[Toadhall Saint]

Bon chance! Alezz VA

[Oh no Mick Mills]

Hi Chrisophe,

Is Derrick Abu featuring in your first team ? 

If so , is he performing well? 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

VA not doing much on a patchy pitch. Finally a ball that cuts through the home defence. Great for an early left foot strike. But a touch is taken and the 'keeper blocks it for a corner.

A corner from which the home side get a break from, and get a second goal. Very nice shot, but so frustrating to concede from your own set piece.

VA give another chance, but limp into half time 2 down. Not looking good.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

VA got one back, with easily their best move, on around 84 mins. Our Rento had a nice bit of skill in their box, but with a tame shot in added time.

Prior to that, SB cleared off their line on around 64 mins. 10 mins later there was a close range VA header straight at their keeper. That was followed a couple of minutes later by a looping header the SB keeper had to put over. A much better header than the poor cross that led to it.

But don't think VA were all over SB. The home side had got their goals. VA huffed and puffed with few outcomes to get back into the game. Following their goal, I thought VA were going to spend the rest of the game trying to get away from taking throw ins on the far side. They just look far too slow.

They look miles away from a higher level side with better intensity and desire than their opponents. It's not as if opponents are snatching points away. VA haven't done enough to earn them.

[ChristopheVAFC]

3 hours ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

Hi Chrisophe,

Is Derrick Abu featuring in your first team ? 

If so , is he performing well? 

Dierrick played his first minutes with Valenciennes tonight. He was in the starting line-up and played 58 minutes out of 90.

 

I thought he was interesting, but it was a difficult match tonight for almost all the players.

[ChristopheVAFC]

Another defeat tonight for Valenciennes, losing 2-1. I sensed a desire to do well at times from our players, but there is still a lot of work to be done. They need to do much better and can do much better; they certainly have the quality to do so...

I hope this downward spiral will soon come to an end...

[Convict Colony]

Damn coach has got to be worried, not a good start at all.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

17 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Damn coach has got to be worried, not a good start at all.

13th. 5 points of 3rd and 1 above the bottom 3.

It's not as though we're watching a team where you can see things clicking. Sure, a few look angry, frustrated and occasionally baffled at their team mates and the circumstances. But they, so far, deserve to be just where they are.

[FredVaFC59100]

19 hours ago, ChristopheVAFC said:

Another defeat tonight for Valenciennes, losing 2-1. I sensed a desire to do well at times from our players, but there is still a lot of work to be done. They need to do much better and can do much better; they certainly have the quality to do so...

Are you serious ?

has-been retired players and Monstrogoths running like chickens with their heads cut off; This team is going nowhere but down.

Budgets: Saint Brieuc = ~1.5M, VAFC = ~11.5M

Are you freaking kidding me ?

But worse of all: no work ethic.

is SR out yet ?

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Its a shame, seems like nothing is working at the club. Does it need a general reset? I.e. bring through youth players alongside and experienced French core?

[FredVaFC59100]

10 hours ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

Its a shame, seems like nothing is working at the club. Does it need a general reset? I.e. bring through youth players alongside and experienced French core?

How about a Chairman  that actually gives a crap about the club to start with ? Dirk Gerkens lives in Dubai; he is not at the club on a daily basis to shake things up when needs be. This is unreal, SR are just a bunch of morons flying blind. Makes me miss the previous owner, at least we were in Ligue 2.

[Convict Colony]

3 hours ago, FredVaFC59100 said:

How about a Chairman  that actually gives a crap about the club to start with ? Dirk Gerkens lives in Dubai; he is not at the club on a daily basis to shake things up when needs be. This is unreal, SR are just a bunch of morons flying blind. Makes me miss the previous owner, at least we were in Ligue 2.

It seems him and his wife own a building and interior design company there building villas.

[ChristopheVAFC]

On 06/09/2025 at 18:03, FredVaFC59100 said:

Are you serious ?

has-been retired players and Monstrogoths running like chickens with their heads cut off; This team is going nowhere but down.

Budgets: Saint Brieuc = ~1.5M, VAFC = ~11.5M

Are you freaking kidding me ?

But worse of all: no work ethic.

is SR out yet ?

I wasn't very keen to reply to you, but I'll do it today.

I'll remain courteous and respectful, at least for our friends and brothers from Southampton who are here today.

The start of the season has been disappointing overall, and I agree with you on that. Few players are performing at the level they should be today, and we feel like they are underperforming. Like most supporters, I am disappointed and sad; to say otherwise would be a lie.

I sincerely hope that the current string of negative results ends as soon as possible.

Our CEO, Yoann Godin, was right to announce a goal of promotion within two years, and with the arrival of 15 players, it is also normal that there is a period of adjustment given the large number of new arrivals at the club this summer.

When it comes to the budget, logic is not always followed, and it is not always the club with the biggest budget that is guaranteed promotion at the end of the season. Knowing that part of this budget is devoted to operating costs, I find it hard to believe that clubs like Paris 13 or Saint Brieuc have infrastructure costs as high as ours.

The National Championship is and will remain a ‘trap’ because it is a complex championship where anyone can beat anyone.

You and I still disagree and probably always will, but I respect your point of view.

Have a nice day

[ChristopheVAFC]

On 07/09/2025 at 05:00, FredVaFC59100 said:

How about a Chairman  that actually gives a crap about the club to start with ? Dirk Gerkens lives in Dubai; he is not at the club on a daily basis to shake things up when needs be. This is unreal, SR are just a bunch of morons flying blind. Makes me miss the previous owner, at least we were in Ligue 2.

It doesn't matter to me that chairman Dirk isn't often in Valenciennes. I know we have a dedicated and competent CEO named Yoann Godin, and I have complete confidence in him.

 

As for the former owner, I wouldn't presume to comment. He is now far removed from the club, and that's fine.

[ChristopheVAFC]

Otherwise, friends, today is match day for Valenciennes, who are hosting Paris 13 Atletico at the Stade du Hainaut.

Suffice to say that tonight, victory is a must, and of course, if possible, in style.

It's going to be a strange match tonight with a possible supporters' strike and a team that is also lacking in confidence.

I would say that tonight is a turning point in the season. Will the team regain its pride? Or will it continue to be plagued by doubts? We'll find out tonight!

Kick-off is at the usual time of 7.30 pm French time.

The link to the match is below:

 

Here is today's press review.

[ChristopheVAFC]

VAFC : « Le stade n’est pas construit sur un cimetière », esprit de la gagne, es-tu là ? - La Voix du Nord

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VAFC: "The stadium is not built on a cemetery." Winning spirit, are you there?

Valenciennes supporters are already showing serious signs of impatience after a poor start to the season that has brought them back to the slump VA has been struggling with for years. Has the winning culture at this club vanished? Stéphane Moulin doesn't believe in fate.

The Ultras Roisters, who spent a good part of last season calling for his departure, have finally reached an agreement on at least one point with Ben Chorley, who left in the spring. In a statement released the day after the defeat at Saint-Brieuc, the third in five matches and already one too many, the supporters' group admitted that "the former sporting director was perhaps not wrong when he said that we were no longer used to winning." The Englishman was a man of few words. In May 2024, during a single interview with La Voix du Nord in his two years in Hainaut, he observed, after the relegation from Ligue 2 to the National: "The result of this season, the origins of what happened, go back further. (...) There's a lot to do to create an environment conducive to victory."

Ten Years of Misfortune

In addition to ten years of mediocre results, has the winning culture abandoned Valenciennes? Gaëtan Courtet, with his extensive experience, doesn't believe it's a localized problem. "The winning culture, whether here or elsewhere, is increasingly difficult to convey; I think it's getting lost." A generational issue? "I don't know, it's very hard to explain. But we (the veterans) are here to convey that. The supporters must identify with this team that simply wants to bring this club back to where it belongs." »

"It's already not easy, and if we add a hostile environment, it's going to become very complicated." Stéphane Moulin, VAFC Coach

Stéphane Moulin doesn't want to dwell on previous episodes. He knows how beautiful VA's history has been, "I have a lot of respect for what happened before." He's also aware of the recent difficulties. "But I don't think there's a cemetery under the Hainaut stadium." The club isn't doomed, in other words. "It's still football. It's up to us to change that to regain some momentum and breathe new life into it, as I said when we arrived here. I don't believe in fate; I do believe in positive energy, which is why we need as much of it as possible. It's already not easy, and if we add a hostile environment, it's going to become very complicated." »

The players hold the key; it's up to them to turn the tide, as "the cup is overflowing today," insisted the GRB, who will not be providing entertainment in the stands on Friday. "The difficulty" with the Valenciennes crowd, continues Stéphane Moulin, "is that they've been suffering for several years, they're tired of suffering, and I understand that."

VALENCIENNES – PARIS 13 ATLETICO, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Hainaut Stadium. Watch on the FFF YouTube channel and on BFM Grand Lille.

 

[Sevvy]

Good luck today Christophe

[Tommy Mulgrew]

6 hours ago, ChristopheVAFC said:

The players hold the key; it's up to them to turn the tide, as "the cup is overflowing today," insisted the GRB, who will not be providing entertainment in the stands on Friday

I see the supporters are not going to be entertaining at the stadium tonight.  Too morose, I expect.  😞

Good luck, Christophe and Fred.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

8 minutes ago, Tommy Mulgrew said:

I see the supporters are not going to be entertaining at the stadium tonight.  Too morose, I expect.  😞

Good luck, Christophe and Fred.

The manager asked the fans to be one with the team. So, providing no entertainment was the obvious first step. 🙂

[ChristopheVAFC]

3 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

The manager asked the fans to be one with the team. So, providing no entertainment was the obvious first step. 🙂

The coach says that the current situation is complicated, but that if the supporters do not back the team, it will not help them to potentially win the match...

 

It is up to the players to get the crowd going tonight from the kick-off! A goal in the opening minutes would be very good news!

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Goalless at the break

VA had plenty of the ball, and a number of chances. From a fun, very long range effort to catch out the keeper, to two close range blocks and a free kick pushed wide. Another pass across the box for a tap in was blocked.

Paris put together a couple of nice passing moves. But then started to give the ball away cheaply. On around 37 mins, they played a nice through ball, and a VA player got sent off bringing down the attacker.

The free kick took 5 mins to take, and included a sub over half way through that.

So 10 men need to get a home win. VA played cautiously to get in level at the break. They didn't venture forward. They're going to need to find a way second half. They didn't take any of their poopotunities, and may pay for that.

 

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Goalless at the break

VA had plenty of the ball, and a number of chances. From a fun, very long range effort to catch out the keeper, to two close range blocks and a free kick pushed wide. Another pass across the box for a tap in was blocked.

Paris put together a couple of nice passing moves. But then started to give the ball away cheaply. On around 37 mins, they played a nice through ball, and a VA player got sent off bringing down the attacker.

The free kick took 5 mins to take, and included a sub over half way through that.

So 10 men need to get a home win. VA played cautiously to get in level at the break. They didn't venture forward. They're going to need to find a way second half. They didn't take any of their poopotunities, and may pay for that.

 

Can't even shit in la turque!

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Paris, with the man advantage had more of the possession at the start of the second half. But with only a header that could have been on target to show for it. 

VA were the ones to get a 1 on 1 only to see yet another chance blocked by the keeper.

Then the key moment of the game. Paris had a free kick from just over 25 yards out. As they prepare to take it, a VA player falls to the ground. I didn't see what caused it. Nor did I see the Paris player sent off do anything. He seemed very upset by the call.

The free kick is pushed onto the post, goes back across the goal. Two Paris players line up, only to be denied by a great sliding tackle.

7 mins later, 3 VA players queue up to not get on the end of a header. Later, an excellent chance falls to the VA striker. He had been looking for such a ball earlier. But when it came, his touch stalled him and one footed ess lost the chance.

Thankfully, El Hamedy, managed to do better from the same area to put VA ahead. He had been VA 's most industrious, so deserved it for the work. Massive relief from VA. It was such a surprise it took a few minutes for the TV scorecard to realise VA had scored.

No real concerns for the rest of the game. The ref seemed happy for a lot of physicality, so the game flowed better as a result.

VA clearly wanted a win more than we've seen recently. Paris did put together the better passing moves for a while, but eventually VA got some planning to their play. There were some limited performances. But a number of those were the ones putting in a shift late on.  They kept it together with 10 men, and finally capitalised on a chance.

Whew! Lots to do, but a return to the right direction.

 

 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

5 minutes ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

Can't even shit in la turque!

My Freudian slip on the game. 🙂

[SuperSAINT]

Won 1-0 😇

[ChristopheVAFC]

Back from the stadium.

Well, a 1-0 victory, but it wasn't the match of the year tonight...

There's still a lot of work to be done, and it will be a long and difficult road before the team is in top form...

We'll sleep well tonight!

Come on VA!

[ChristopheVAFC]

Summary of yesterday's match by the local press: National : VA les bras levés, contre vents et marées - La Voix du Nord

 

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National: VA with arms raised, against all odds

In a stadium as cold as a freezer, even hostile at times towards its players, who were criticized for a sluggish start, VA managed to find the opening late in the match against Paris 13 Atletico (1-0) after spurning numerous chances and suffering adverse effects. It took that to put out the simmering fire.

It looked like the evening was going to turn sour. The clock was ticking into the 38th minute, and Romain Thomas had just been sent off after a questionable tackle on Aeron Zinga, a desperate attempt to catch a sloppy pass from Kader Diomandé that had put Loïck Landre in serious trouble. Reduced to ten men and in a pickle, VA immediately faced real hostility from a section of the Kop, who began throwing smoke bombs onto the pitch while urging their players to "get off their asses."

They'd been quite a bit of fuss before referee Pierre Retail waved the red card in front of the Valenciennes captain. Alone at the far post, Ylan El Hadary headed wide (16th minute), Gaëtan Courtet lost his duel to Paris goalkeeper Yannick Etile (28th minute), who then found a way to save a good free kick from Ylan El Hadary (30th minute). It was a lot to bear in a chilly atmosphere that had long resembled that of a cemetery—even though Stéphane Moulin had insisted the day before that the Hainaut stadium was not built on top of an ancient necropolis.

Ten against ten

"Football is such that when you don't take advantage of your strong moments, anything can happen," the coach observed afterward. "The players deserved credit for turning the tide." They didn't have thirty-six options: either they kept their heads down, or they tried to restore the numerical balance. The "miracle" occurred when the referee invited Abdelmalek Amara, who had (slightly) headed Rémy Boissier, to return to the locker room (60th minute).

"The number one objective, obviously, was to win, and we fulfilled that obligation. No one can blame us this (Friday) evening for not doing our job; the boys gave everything they had to give." Stéphane Moulin, VAFC Coach

Alexandre Coeff, who came on before halftime, saved the nation from danger, no one knows how, on his line (63rd minute). And VA resumed its forward march. It continued to fail, as with Loïck Landre's header that went wide (68th) and Gaëtan Courtet's hesitation after Yannick Etile had just pushed away a cross-shot from Stredair Appuah (80th).

The light came from the diminutive El Hadary, who has been in a string of matches, having just played two for his national team, but didn't waste Appuah's display (1-0, 84th). A big sigh from the stands and on the bench. "It's a relief because in football, in the end, only results count," Stéphane Moulin could breathe. "The number one objective, obviously, was to win, and we fulfilled that objective. We can't be criticized this (Friday) evening for not doing our job; the boys gave everything they had to." » Enough to calm the stands, at least temporarily...

VALENCIENNES – PARIS 13 ATLETICO: 1-0 (0-0).

Stade du Hainaut. 5,690 spectators.

Referee: Mr. Retail.

Goal: El Hadary (84th) for Valenciennes.

Valenciennes' Thomas (38th) and Paris' Amara (60th) were sent off.

Valenciennes' Courtet (40th) and A. Diomandé (90th + 2) were booked.

Valenciennes' Louchet; A. Diomandé, Landre, Thomas (cap), Wahib; Boissier (Sissoko, 73rd), Rouaï; Appuah (Baghdadi, 86th), El Hadary (Ipiélé, 86th), K. Diomandé (Coeff, 41st); Courtet. Coach: Stéphane Moulin.

Paris 13: Etile; Bernardino, Ecuele Manga, M. Diarra (cap.), Oyongo; Gakpa, Ndiaye; Fage (Dadoune, 69th), Donat (Martins, 88th), Amara; Zinga (Lasme, 88th). Coach: Maxence Flachez.

 

[ChristopheVAFC]

Hello friends, I hope you are all well this Friday?

Today is match day for Valenciennes, who are travelling to Stade Malherbe Caen, who played in Ligue 2 last season.

It's never easy to play at their home ground, so I'm hoping for at least one point tonight, as it won't be an easy match.

Kick-off is at 7.30 p.m. French time, and I've provided the link to the match below.

Here is today's press review.

Allez VA !

[ChristopheVAFC]

Football : entre Caen et Stéphane Moulin, une histoire inachevée, « ça reste gravé » - La Voix du Nord

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Football: An unfinished story between Caen and Stéphane Moulin, "it remains etched in my memory"

The Valenciennes coach spent two enriching years but also experienced the death of his wife while on the Caen bench, which he returns to for the first time on Friday with VA.

The return to Normandy will inevitably be special for Stéphane Moulin, and the requests were much more numerous than usual before heading to Caen. After a long tenure at Angers, which he led to promotion and success in Ligue 1, the Valenciennes coach took over at Caen, then in Ligue 2, in the summer of 2021.

A 7th-place finish in the first season, 5th in the second, from a sporting perspective, the Normandy adventure went well. But Stéphane Moulin suffered the sad loss of his wife in January 2023. Although he had finished the season, the coach had waived the final year of his contract to focus on his family.

A bond with the fans

During his last match, in the spring of 2023, 20,000 people paid him a vibrant tribute. "It's etched in my memory," assures the Valenciennes coach. "I wasn't there very long and I left for reasons that had nothing to do with football, so it will be a pleasure to return and meet people I loved."

In Normandy, Moulin particularly appreciated the bond forged between the fans and his team. Even if it took time. "We had periods of doubt, then we got going and became very difficult to beat," says the VA coach. "Because when you start from scratch, it always takes time."

 

[ChristopheVAFC]

« Top joueur », « vrai talent », « une évidence », Ylan El Hadary, l’étonnant Malgache qui séduit Valenciennes - La Voix du Nord

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"Top player," "true talent," "a no-brainer," Ylan El Hadary, the amazing Malagasy who captivates Valenciennes

On loan from Paris FC, 19-year-old attacking midfielder Ylan El Hadary Raheriniaina only needed two matches with VA to shine. Equally successful with Madagascar on the road to the World Cup, the Malagasy player is a unanimous favorite wherever he goes. Watch out for this gem.

VA still plays in red and white, but in recent weeks, green has been introduced. White, red, and green, like the flag of Madagascar, are increasingly being posted as a comment by fans of the Barea, the Malagasy national team, on every single message the club publishes on its social media. This phenomenon has been further accentuated since Ylan El Hadary's winning goal against Paris 13 Atletico.

"We know he can almost win us the match single-handedly." He's a top player." Morgan Jean-Pierre, Teammate with the Madagascar national team

The 19-year-old attacking midfielder's remarkable and noteworthy performance came after two already very successful matches with his national team (3 assists) during the international break. These ten days of high-level performance confirm the excellent impression the player has left at VA since his arrival on loan from Paris FC and validate the enthusiasm of the Malagasy people, who owe him, in part, for remaining in the race for a historic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The top assists player (5) in the African zone, the Valenciennes player is one of the key players in the team coached by former French international (14 caps) Corentin Martins.

In the Seychelles championship

"My friends back home talk to me a lot about him; they're surprised and happy with what he's doing," confided Malagasy and former Lens player (1991-98) Hervé Arsène. "He's set the bar so high," assures defender Morgan Jean-Pierre (Fleury 91), his national team partner. "We know he can almost single-handedly win the match for us. He's a top player."

Accompanied by a great story, since Ylan El Hadary was still very much off the radar a year ago, playing in the Seychelles. He only arrived in France in early November 2024 to join the Paris FC U19s. "There are plenty of players like him, Madagascar is as big as France," promises Hervé Arsène. "But because we lack the facilities and it's far away, we don't get noticed." So it was another former player of the Sang et Or team, Lalaïna Nomenjanahary (2011-16), who played for PFC for a long time (2016-21), who opened the eyes of the Parisian management. El Hadary spent a few months with the U19s before convincing everyone and signing his first professional contract in the capital this summer, just before being loaned to Valenciennes on August 25.

"I looked at the footage and said yes right away. It seemed obvious to me because he's a complete player." Stéphane Moulin

"It happened very quickly," says Stéphane Moulin. "It's worth noting because a guy who expresses his desire to join the National team while playing for a Ligue 1 club, at his age and given his qualities, is rare." But the Malagasy is not a player like the others, to the point that the VAFC coach broke with his usual habits and recruited him via video. "We did some unusual things," he admits. When Mathieu Frison mentioned it to me, I didn't know him. I looked at the footage and said yes right away. It seemed obvious to me because he's a complete player. What jumped out at me was his ability to always find the solution, and very often the right one. And he does it with his atypical build. He's ahead of his time in terms of maturity, whereas he should be playing in the U19s; he knows very little about the senior world."

Two matches in a VA jersey were enough to confirm the full extent of his qualities. The same as with his national team. "He's very energetic, a dribbler, strong in one-on-ones, with good passing and finishing," adds Ehsan Kari. The Fréjus defender (N2), called up for the first time, discovered the Valenciennes player in the flesh ten days ago and sings the same praises: "He's a real talent."

 

[Tommy Mulgrew]

If Al Hadary is as good as implied in that article, perhaps we should get our scouts to give him the once over.  I have seen a photo (taken earlier this summer) of him and he looks older than 19.

I hope he plays really well for you, Christophe, and inspires VAFC to rise up the table.

[Sevvy]

Good luck tonight Christophe

[ChristopheVAFC]

The match ended a few minutes ago with a draw tonight at Stade Malherbe in Caen.

Score: 0-0.

A good point against a team recently relegated from Ligue 2.

Allez VA !

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Although goalless, the game got better, with a good second half from both sides, and a flurry of activity before the end.

VA had a good creative 1 on 1 only to have the defender take the ball from the attacker's feet at the last. A bit of hesitancy 20mins later stopped another excellent chance following a very good kick from the VA keeper.

Between those two chances, VA shifted their approach, becoming more solid from the front back. While that left the captain an isolated figure, it also added to VA continuing to prevent Caen having any real space to operate in. The home side were reduced to some blocked shots from well drilled defenders, and a header in the first half that could have been better.

Their best effort rattled the bar. Courtet hadn't got a free kick, and overly moaned while sitting down. He then raced back to win a tackle. But then stopped, as if vindicating himself for not getting the free kick. He was static when VA were looking for an outball. They promptly lost possession and the ranged effort had beaten Louchet. Just a snapshot of the captain's game. One where he puts in a real shift, supports others but doesn't look likely to get a goal himself.

Some late subs gave VA a closing flourish, preventing Caen from putting too much pressure on the game.

VA will be pleased with that point. Caen do look as though they've operated as a unit at a higher level than VA. That's the bridge for SR recruitment to cross. How to get enough players of that standard to take the step down.

VA had more structure tonight. They still lack as a unit up front. Some solo runs didn't have support. There weren't many attacking link ups worrying the home side. But that was balanced by more solidity, and waiting to spring counter attacks.

10th: 5 points off 3rd and 4 off relegation. Not where they'd want to be. But some signs of progress in the last two.

Edited Saturday at 08:15 by Holmes_and_Watson