A long page from the career of Jessy Benet turns. After four seasons under the colors of Grenoble in National 1 then in League 2, the midfielder will leave GF38 at the end of his contract after a remarkable year both collectively and personally. Before heading to a new challenge, the one who is part of our typical 2020-2021 team gave us an interview to discuss all the topics of the moment, and to say goodbye to the Isère supporters.
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Jessy, is the disappointment to see the path of L1 stop in Play-Off 2 (3-0 defeat in Toulouse) digested after a few days of rest?
Jessy Benet : No… But in football, you also have to know how to move on and think about the future. So yes, obviously, we are disappointed not to have been at the end but that’s how it is. There are wins and losses, winners and losers. We didn’t manage to go to the end but it was a great season, and we are proud of what we did, of our course.
More generally, what is your view on this great season concluded in 4th place? Did you think you could fight for the climb at the start of the season?
When we started the championship, we didn’t say to ourselves that we were going to play the Top 5. We are humble, we know where the club stands. But it is certain that by chaining the good results and with our dynamics, we said to ourselves at the break that it would be a shame not to succeed in catching the dams. We succeeded, even if at the end it was more difficult, we had to fight until the end. Our strength this season? I think it’s the group! In the end, we did a lot of matches during the week with the Covid. All those who played have contributed to the edifice. Rotations always brought something different but that didn’t derail the team. Even though we had a few departures and a few arrivals this year, everything took off quickly. We played with our qualities and that made the difference to reach the Top 5.
“My best season professionally”
Personally, you had your most successful season statistically with 9 goals and 7 assists, do you consider it your best season with the pros and at what levels have you reached milestones in your game?
Statistically, this is for sure my best season on an individual level. And collectively, we also had a very good season so yes, it’s my best season professionally. I was also spared the physical glitches and had the playing time I hoped for, I had my chance. I knew I was capable of having these kinds of statistics. Sometimes we have been unsuccessful in the past. Last year, we scored little on set pieces for example when we had chances. My teammates have also helped me a lot this season.
You come to a turning point in your career with the end of your contract looming in Grenoble. Are you going to leave the club, or is an extension still possible?
I will surely leave Grenoble. We couldn’t find an agreement. I had very good years here. I have known a lot of things: the rise in Ligue 2, the injury, the Covid, the dams…! So it’s a lot of emotions. The club made me grow as a man and as a player. I thank the GF38 for these years spent here. Now I’m going to move forward and it’s a page that turns. For my part, I wanted to see something else, to have another challenge. Sometimes being too comfortable is not necessarily a good thing. I was well in Grenoble but a football career is made up of choices. You have to know how to change things in order to evolve.
What message do you want to send to the supporters, to whom unfortunately you could not say goodbye in camera?
I thank them for all their support! I will not forget my years spent here and the atmosphere in the stadium. Especially the one on the evening of the climb… It’s a shame that this year they couldn’t be by our side in the stadiums to support us. There would have been a great atmosphere, especially since we had a great year at the Stade des Alpes, whereas in the past we were a little less successful at home. We know that they were still behind us from a distance, and I thank them again for that!
“Still staying in Ligue 2 may be possible”
Regarding your future, we are talking about a keen interest of Dijon your former club just relegated to Ligue 2, is this concrete?
At the moment, there are several clubs that have interests. I didn’t sign up anywhere, I didn’t sign anywhere. There are not yet concrete things with any club. I have leads, that’s all.
What are your desires? Is this the moment to try the challenge of L1 if there is the opportunity, can you stay in L2 in another ambitious club, or would you rather like the foreigner for example?
I do not close any doors. After necessarily, I am ambitious so I want to discover the highest level. If it’s not this year, maybe try going to a club that has the ambition to go to Ligue 1 in the next few years. Staying still in Ligue 2 may therefore be possible.
To end on this unique 2020-2021 season in this period of health crisis, how did you experience this championship under these conditions?
Bah, my nose will remember this year! (laughs). Besides, as luck would have it, I didn’t have the antibodies so I was tested all year round. Of course it was a special year. No supporters, even in hotels on the move, sometimes we had special conditions when eating at separate tables… But the strangest thing was to cut in the middle of the season last year. We were getting ready to start again, we talked to each other etc, and in the end we never did! That was all the Covid, a really special season.
Interview by Dorian Waymel
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