“It was a Wednesday. I lived on the tenth floor of my building. I could see the neighborhood clearly from up there, especially our land and the bus stop. No one on our land. Not normal for a Wednesday. I go to another window and see them all at the bus stop. There, I take my bag, my crampons and I run there. They were all going to a scouting event for FC Nantes. I went there, and my life changed when I was 11, with the U13s of FC Nantes. » In 2019, Émerse Faé recounted in these columns day 1 of what would become her professional career. This building at the top of which it all began is “la Banane”, which runs along Rue d’Anglais, the main artery of the Malakoff district to the east of Nantes. Like Dervallières or Bellevue at the other end of the city, this city does not have good press: again this week, a fire there caused the death of an octogenarian, and the judicial police sent two men from the neighborhood to detention for a drug case. But far from the news section, the month of January was historic for local residents: on the occasion of the African Cup of Nations currently being played in Ivory Coast, Faé and two of his “little brothers” from Malakoff are currently promoting the district abroad.
When Guinea plays, we get together, we all go to Abdou’s mother. Over time, this habit was a little lost, but thanks to the CAN, we found it again.
Bilel, close to Abdoulaye Touré
Like the former Aiglon (born in 1984), Abdoulayé Touré (1994) and Mouctar Diakhaby (1996) grew up in this bar, scored their first dribbles on the other side of the street and climbed on the bus a good number of times to make football their profession. Today, the three Malakoffiens, with very distinct backgrounds, are in the quarter-finals of the CAN with their respective countries: Ivory Coast – with its very recent coach cap – for Faé, Guinea – on the field – for the other two, also distant cousins. Enough to make the three families proud, who have never left this tower. “When Guinea plays, we get together, we all go to Abdou’s mothertestifies Bilel – member of the Le Havrais close guard –, in front of the entrance to the famous Malakoff IV gymnasium where the legendary Nantes Bela Futsal once played.. Over time, this habit was a little lost, but thanks to the CAN, we found it again. »
Neighborhood war, Beaujoire and trajectories
Touré and Diakhaby – who took their time before putting on the national Syli jersey – are playing their first African Cup, to the delight of the large local Guinean community, starting with Bafodé Touré, big brother of Abdoulaye: “I have often had Mouctar and Abdou on the phone lately to motivate them, but there is no need, they are clearly focused and you can feel it on the pitch. They understand the importance of representing an entire country. » “We are following this CAN, because there is necessarily a stronger enthusiasm for the Guinean selectionposes “Babou”, who grew up with Diakhaby. And we are simply football fans. » Absent during the last two matches due to injury, Touré should be back on his feet to face the Democratic Republic of Congo this Friday (9 p.m.).
The famous “Banana”. Photo: JB
“Malakoff is a pillar, my barometerAbdoulaye explained to us last October. When I arrived at Beaujoire, I was Abdoulaye the footballer, but in the neighborhood, I became Abdou again, Mr. Everyman. Fifteen years later, I’m hanging out with the same people, it makes me feel really good. If you don’t know where you’re going, remember where you came from, that’s my philosophy. I’m not going to play you the footballer card who says he suffered so much, many do too much. Me, I am only proud and happy to have grown up in these conditions despite everything. » Mouctar Diakhaby doesn’t say anything else, he who exploded in Lyon rather than in Nantes, before making his mark in Valence: “Malakoff is my childhood. The people I hold in my heart, my parents, still live there, so I have a strong connection with the neighborhood. » Bilel (today player for Nantes Doulon Bottière Futsal, D2 club) explains: “Every summer, we know we’re going to see them again. They too are waiting for this to come and regain strength, to recharge their batteries. It’s crazy the connection they have with this neighborhood, despite their success. » And despite the mishaps, too: on November 17, 2014, Touré was violently attacked with a knife, in the middle of Malakoff, against the backdrop of a “neighborhood war”.
Beyond his role as a model for Touré or “Mocko”, Émerse Faé, the first professional footballer from Malakoff (after Nantes, he played for Reading and Nice, before ending his career at the age of 28 due to phlebitis chronicle), had its impact on the entire neighborhood: “It’s thanks to him that I went to La Beaujoire for the first timeunderlines Bilel. I was able to go there because a guy from my neighborhood had signed professionally for FC Nantes. » “A guy from Malakoff who became U17 world champion, winner of the Gambardella… Everyone only talked about himsays Bafodé Touré. Émerse’s parents helped mine a lot: we had just arrived in Malakoff, they were traveling for plumbing, for everything! It was never about money. »
Football is in Malakoff’s DNA. When the gym opened the doors at 4:30 p.m., by 4 p.m. we were already in line.
Bafode Touré
Today, Faé (42 caps with the Elephants, for 3 African Cups played and a World Cup spent on the bench) has taken on a new dimension, with this promotion. “I expected it, it’s no surprisesays his cousin, Patrice Tahé. This was one of the long-term objectives of the Ivorian selection, and it was above all obvious. That he becomes one so quickly is a surprise, but he had been preparing for a long time, he is ready. Everyone in the family pushed Émerse to accept the offer. » Bafodé Touré plays the prophets: “The day before Émerse’s appointment as head of the selection, I sent a message to my brother and my cousin saying that Côte d’Ivoire is in trouble and that it would be good if after the CAN, Emerse takes over. The next day, he was appointed! In the neighborhood, the dream would be a Guinea-Côte d’Ivoire semi-final(1). Émerse told me that it would be magnificent, among Malakoffians. »
The Malakoff IV gymnasium. Photo: JB
In Malakoff, the phenomenon fair
When asked to rewind his memories of kidFaé describes a city “separated in two by a small road and the gymnasium. » “And we often found ourselves playing football, the “guys in the back” against the guys on the “other side”. Football was 70-80% of our time. » Well before the Banane was reduced by half in parallel with the construction of the Éric-Tabarly bridge, but above all before the land was razed to create a commercial zone including today Basic-Fit and Carrefour Contact, Touré and Diakhaby received the same initiation as their elder: “We played matches on Saturday, Sunday, or in the evening after schoolcontinues Bilel. It was by invitation! There were three or four team leaders, the coach made a sheet, we stuck it in the building halls, and you came to see if you were called up. The matches were at the stadium, a concrete field. He does not exist anymore. We entered one by one, with the music of the Champions League, and we held hands with the little ones! » Bafodé outbids: “It was our Bernabéu! You had to assert yourself, not be walked on. Football is in Malakoff’s DNA. When the gym opened the doors at 4:30 p.m., by 4 p.m. we were already in line. This is what allowed us to learn to live together and discipline”
In all these glued buildings, there are four pros: at 35 Abdou, at 29 Mouctar, at 27 Émerse and at 17 Élie.
“We must realize that in all these glued buildings, there are four professionalscontinues Bafodé. At 35 Abdou, 29 Mouctar, 27 Emerse and 17 Élie. » Élie is Élie Youan (1999), striker trained at the FCN without establishing himself there and today at Hibernian (Scotland), at 24 years old. Sofian Bahloul (1999, passed by SCO and today at FC Wil in Swiss D2) as well as Charles Koffi Acolatse (1995, Togolese international defensive midfielder, passed by Jonelière and today at Târgu Jiu in Romanian D2) are also local products. “And yet, there were so many phenomena that did not break through, in this small neighborhoodsupports Abdoulaye’s brother. What’s crazy is that unlike other districts of Nantes, Malakoff is not known for providing training centers. However, it is with us that there have been the most pros. » Bilel also goes there with his rant: “No other district in Nantes – and very few districts in France – is lucky enough to have provided so many professional footballers. We don’t find it normal that in a neighborhood like that, we don’t even have a football team. We are having obstacles in our way. We just need the support of the town hall. » The USSA Vertou (south of the city of the Dukes of Brittany) was also a springboard for several Malakoffians, including Touré and Diakhaby.
“I am very happy to see Abdoulaye, Mouctar and Émerse at this levelenjoys in any case Patrice Tahé. They give themselves for their country, making not only Malakoff proud, but also all the districts of Nantes. There is so much talent here, they help show that you can get by with sport, even if it’s complicated when you live in a working-class neighborhood. » Which makes Babou say: “We like to talk about Malakoff only for the news. It’s a shame, because the minority dirties the majority who fight and make sacrifices to succeed in life. » Moreover, Malakoff did not only provide sporting talents: as a reminder, Daniel Guiro and Thierry Rakotomanga also set foot on this tarmac during their youth. In 1998, they founded a group called Tragédie.
Photo: JB John Textor tried to bring Karim Benzema back to OL
Comments collected by DF and JB, except those of Abdoulaye Touré, Mouctar Diakhaby and Emerse Faé, taken from previous interviews for sofoot.com.
(1) Guinea faces the Democratic Republic of Congo this Friday at 9 p.m.; Ivory Coast plays Mali on Saturday at 6 p.m. In the event of qualification, the two nations would meet in the semi-finals.
2024-02-02 15:42:12
#NantesMalakoff
