The Interview: Just Football meets Kader Mangane

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Just Football was recently invited to PUMA’s African football 2012 kit launch at the Design Museum in London. While there we were able to mingle and chat with various stars of the African football world. Standing like a giant at the launch and there to unveil Senegal’s new kit for 2012 (wearing number six above) was none other than Rennes captain and Senegal international Kader Mangane, a man who had an excellent season in 2010-11. Extremely pleasant and more than willing to give up some of his time, we sat down with the 6ft 4in centre back to discuss life in France, the season so far at Rennes, his own current form, the upcoming African Cup of Nations and plenty more:

Jonathan F: Kader Mangane it’s a pleasure to talk to you. I’m a sports writer and I also work as a football analyst in French football, and Rennes are one of my teams so I have seen every single game you’ve played so far this season. If we can start by talking about the season in France with Rennes. What do you think of the season up to now?

Kader Mangane: I think that after thirteen games we are doing well. Twenty-two points, fifth in the table. Even if we know we might have done better, because we have had quite a few matches where we should have won but didn’t. I also think it’s been a learning curve for the young players given our place in the Europa League which means we’ve had to get used to playing every three or four days.

In Europe as well we’ve played four games and picked up two points. We could just as easily have nine but unfortunately we don’t. There you go. I think that we will learn because we have a lot of young players in the team. I’m one of the older ones now because at Rennes the average age is twenty-two years of age, very young and we lack some experience at that level, but I hope that we will continue to have a better season than the last one.

JF: What are the expectations at a club like Rennes who place a lot of emphasis on youth and are perhaps not as big as some of the other clubs in Ligue 1? Is Europe the pinnacle?

KM: Rennes is a very good club. Ok, perhaps we are not one of the three big clubs in France but Rennes have a philosophy of faith in youth and giving young players the opportunity to develop. In order to grow, our objective in years to come is to finish at the top of Ligue 1, but for now the goal is to maintain a position around 4^th or 5^th place. That’s the objective every season and after that if there’s a chance of claiming third place or second place we will try. But for Rennes, if we can finish in the top five it’s a very good season.

JF: Do you think a place in the Champions League is a realistic possibility this season?

KM: This season it’s definitely possible because our young players are a season older now, we have made very good signings like Jonathan Pitroipa and Hadji, and I think if we continue like that and get into a good rhythm we can finish third.

JF: As a player of African descent, how does it feel to be the captain of a big French club like Rennes?

KM: You feel great pride. Being an African player and coming to France, for a club to have confidence in you and make you the captain you feel proud. It takes a lot of hard work. I’ve always been someone who likes to work hard and who likes to help motivate my teammates. I’m not afraid to give my opinion if something needs to be said. I say what I think and I also get on well with my colleagues here too.

JF: This season you have already played in some big games in Italy against Udinese and at Celtic. In your career to date is there one particularly unforgettable match that stands out in your mind?

KM: I think the Europa League qualifier when we won away from home against Red Star Belgrade in August was certainly one of the most memorable. It was a big game. It stands out because to go to a stadium and play in front of nearly 60,000 spectators, a hostile crowd, push for a result and run out as winners is not easy. It was a match we were all proud of. I would also add the African Cup of Nations (CAN) qualification match against Cameroon (0-0, June 2011 in Garoua). We really had to battle hard in that game and it wasn’t easy playing against Samuel Eto’o. But we managed to get a point over there and it was a moment to be proud of for me.

JF: Have you been disappointed with the last few weeks? You’ve had some troubles with Rennes where holding onto leads is concerned…

KM: Of course, of course. I was disappointed against Celtic because I scored and then at the back we gave away two goals we shouldn’t have conceded. The first was really avoidable and then the second I have to hold my hands up for because I didn’t manage to clear the ball and it led to us conceding. But like I said to you, we all make mistakes in life even if we try not to. There you go.

JF: Your coach Frederic Antonetti has a reputation in France for being a special kind of character, one with a particular personality. What is it like to work with him?

KM: Yes it’s true that he is a coach who is talked about a lot and talks a lot, but he is a very good coach. With him, he talks strictly about football and football only. You can always talk with him, he works very hard and for me he is one of the best coaches in France.

JF: Is he one of the best coaches you’ve worked with in your career?

KM: Yes. I can say that he’s one of the coaches I’ve most enjoyed working with in my career.

JF: For what reason?

KM: Because he knows football inside out and he always helps advise you on the areas of your game where you can improve. He never calls you into his office to talk about anything else – he talks about nothing but football. That’s how he is.

JF: On a personal level, at the start of the season you were suffering a little after a bout of sinusitis. Are you completely over that now or do you still have some trouble with it?

KM: Yes that’s true, since the start of the season I haven’t really been at 100% physically. First I had the sinusitis which affected me for the first two months of the season. Then when I recovered from that I got injured against Udinese and although I’m back playing again I’m still not quite at 100%.

JF: Are you feeling close to full fitness yet?

KM: No not yet because the ankle is still healing, but I will take my time to really take care of it and recover properly so I can return in good form.

JF: Last season I wrote a piece for an English magazine FourFourTwo in which I picked my African team of the season for 2010-11 and you made my all-star eleven in defence. Is it fair to say that up to now you haven’t quite been playing as well as last season?

KM: Ahh thankyou! Yes you’re right, last season was better because I was at 100% most of the time. This year has been more complicated because I haven’t been in a top condition physically and whenever I felt close to it I’ve got injured again. So even though I have been playing it’s been with a handicap. But the season is long and mentally I am strong so I’m sure I can get back to my best.

JF: I hope I can put you in my team by the end of this season too!

KM: I hope so too! (laughs)

JF: What do you think of the current Senegal team?

KM: We have a really good team with a number of high quality players. Now we’ve had some memorable moments lately which help shape a team spirit and we will do everything we can in the upcoming CAN to show that Senegal can count on us in future.

JF: Senegal have never won the African Cup of Nations. Without Nigeria, Cameroon and other big names do you think you can win it for the first time in 2012?

KM: Well listen, we know we are not favourites. There’s still the Ivory Coast in there, Ghana and other big teams. But anything is possible. We will play to win the CAN and I hope we can help Senegal win it for the first time.

JF: In a group with Libya, Equatorial Guinea and Zambia, collectively speaking do you have an objective mind as to how far Senegal can go?

KM: The first aim is the quarter finals. I don’t see the teams in our group as small teams because they will all be difficult games. We must simply take it game by game, qualify for the quarter finals and see what happens from there.

JF: You haven’t been set a specific target then?

KM: No. The first aim is to qualify and then who knows?

JF: Thanks very much for talking to Just Football and good luck for the rest of the season.

KM: It was a pleasure, thankyou too.

African Cup of Nations 2012, African Football, French Ligue 1, Interviews, Kader Mangane, Rennes, Senegal