Holding on to Ryad Boudebouz and Marvin Martin should be FC Sochaux’s priority this summer
Touted by many Ligue 1 experts for relegation to Ligue 2, Sochaux Montbéliard turned out to be one of the surprise packages of the 2010/2011 Ligue 1 season.
Defying everyone
Under the guidance of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Francis-c13946 Gillot, Les Lionceaux de Sochaux proved all the doubters wrong by finishing fifth in the Ligue 1. The Franche-Comte based club will now play in the UEFA Europa League next season which is quite an impressive feat for a club
that was on the brink of relegation on a regular basis in recent seasons.
Gillot’s promising group of individuals made a lasting impression on doubters as critics were left eating their words. Though the whole effort put by the Sochaux side was a team effort in which everyone contributed, two players were head and shoulders above
the rest in terms of performances.
Boudebouz-Martin - two http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Big-Players-c38635
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ryad-Boudebouz-c31970 and Marvin Martin were probably the biggest two reasons why Les Lionceaux proved their doubters wrong. The duo’s excellent partnership made Sochaux one of the best attacking sides in Ligue 1.
Ryad Boudebouz was an ever-present face in the Sochaux starting XI and played all the games in Ligue 1 for Les Lionceaux while scoring eight goals and providing seven assists. Marvin Martin on the other hand turned out to be the revelation of the season
as he made 17 assists and was the top assist provider for Ligue 1 in the 2010/2011 campaign.
Departure of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ideye-Brown-c16632 and its consequences
Ideye Brown and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Modibo-Maiga-c26167 were one of the best strike-partnerships in the league and scored 15 goals apiece to cap off a memorable season for the Sochaux faithful.
Ideye Brown’s 15 goals in his first season were enough for Ukrainian Premier League giants Dynamo Kyiv to sign him up on a five-year-deal. The Nigerian international’s departure from the Stade Auguste Bonal indicated that the club would see a mass exodus
of players this summer.
Marvin Martin’s stock grew up a further notch when he made his debut for the http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ukraine-c3032, the 23-year-old made full use of the short time he was given by Laurent Blanc to impress.
In almost seventeen minutes, the youngster scored a brace and even found the time to provide an assist to fellow debutant http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Younes-Kaboul-c37543 as France went on to beat Ukraine 4-1 at the Donbass Arena in Shakhtar.
Along with Ryad Boudebouz, Martin is attracting considerable interest from French clubs and other European clubs. The recent departure of coach Francis Gillot to FC Girondins de Bordeaux could also spell the end of the star duo’s career at the club.
Mehmed Bazdarevic’s main task
However, newly-appointed coach, Mehmed Bazdarevic is not looking to let go of two of his most talented players.
While talking to the media, Bazdarevic made it clear that he was not willing to let go of the two players. “The two boys work very hard and today they are at the club and I have their assurances that they would be here (at Sochaux) for next season. When
I arrived, I spoke with every player and I especially these two as they are the most in demand this summer,” Bazdarevic said while talking to RMC.
The former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-c2856 international also revealed that the two players are not opposed the idea of playing for Sochaux next season but also admitted that the future could bring a few surprises. “After all, in football you are never sure of anything,”
concluded the former Sochaux midfielder.
Trying not be a feeder club anymore
The Sochaux youth academy produced the likes of El-Hadji Diouf, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jeremy-Menez-c18345, Jeremy Mathieu and Benoit Pedretti, all players of great talent who left the club. The club’s inability to hold on to its key players has made Sochaux an inconsistent club.
The new coach’s keenness on keeping the star duo of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Marvin-Martin-c24496 and Ryad Boudebouz would go a long way in making Sochaux a more stable club that can compete for domestic honours year in year out.
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