Essential for the defensive balance of RC Lens, the Malian midfielder Cheick Doucouré has become a starter for the Artesian club and continues his progression.
He is starting to have an extremely complete background. He’s a quality player and personality,” Lens coach Franck Haise said of Cheick Doucouré. At just 21 years of age, he is now one of the key players in the Artesian midfield.
“He played from the U19s to the first team with Philippe Montanier and myself,” recalls Franck Haise, his coach. He has progressed at all levels. In reading situations, team balances, getting the ball out and recovering the ball. He continues to enrich his baggage. He is improving in his desire to play vertically, to find passes that break up the lines. He is starting to have an extremely complete baggage. He is a quality player and personality. He has always listened and remained very humble. With his education and his values. We don’t talk about him much? People who know football know very well who he is.”
A midfielder who has an excellent shot and ensures defensive balance, the compensations of a team that projects enormously forward, especially with his Ivorian teammate in the middle, Seko Fofana, expert in changes of pace and transitions.
Sooner or later, we’ll be talking about me
We’re close (with Fofana),” admits the Mali international, who can qualify for the next World Cup in Qatar. I didn’t know him before he arrived. I grew up in Côte d’Ivoire myself. So, from the start, our relationship was favoured. On the pitch, we communicated a lot. I play the same role that I had with (Guillaume) Gillet. We got on very well. With Seko, it’s the same. He has a lot of impact. You need someone to manage the balance. That’s my role. I think I do it very well. I hope we will follow up with more performances.
If Cheick Doucouré continues to climb the steps of the high level, his rise in power in the game goes hand in hand with his emancipation within the group sang et or, where he expresses himself more and more verbally on the field. I am very assertive,” he confirms. Before, I hardly spoke at all. I stayed calm and that was the end of it. I discussed this with the coach. He asked me to improve on this point. Now, I try to put my teammates back together. I’ve been here four years. I understand things better. I try to help the youngsters who arrive, to put them on the right path. Afterwards, in the dressing room, I let the managers express themselves.
With his impact, his interceptions and his restarts, Cheick Doucouré meets the expectations of his coach. Yannick Cahuzac, the captain and his rival, is no longer a starter. Cahu (Cahuzac) talks to me a lot,” says Doucouré. He tries to correct me. I try to learn from everyone. I have gained a lot of experience. I think I’ve become emancipated. It’s important to play in this team. I’m happy with it. It was a dream for me to grow up in this club. I want to continue to play big games. Sooner or later, people will talk about me.
source www.lequipe.fr
