Goal ! : Harold, you were with your selection during the international fortnight, how did it go?
Harold MOUKOUDI: Very good. We did 0-0 in a friendly match against Japan, in Utrecht, the Netherlands, in a nice stadium. It had been a year since there had been a rally. It was nice to see everyone again.
What are the deadlines with Cameroon?
CAN. We are automatically qualified as an organizing country. It is a very important meeting for us.
You have honored your first selection …
That’s it. Until then, I had not played. I worked alongside Mickaël Ngadeu, from La Gantoise. It went well.
Who are you close to in selection?
We have a good group, with a lot of young people. I get along well with everyone. There are players that I have known for a long time because we had played together with France, among young people, like Jeando Fuchs and Jérôme Onguene.
Yvan Neyou has been pre-selected. Did he ask you about the selection?
Of course. We talked about it a lot. He is proud to see his name appear. It’s cool for him and it’s deserved. He’s a great player.
Did you know him before your return to ASSE?
Yes. We had clashed several times among the young people. He was at the Pôle de Clairefontaine and I at that of Liévin, in the North. The two Poles used to organize matches. He was already playing as he does today, with this technical ease, he has not changed. We also have a friend in common. So when he arrived, I told him he could count on me if needed. He already knew Arnaud Nordin. They were together at Clairefontaine.
You came into play last July at the Stade de France against Paris (0-1). Did you come back from England mainly for the final or was it agreed that you would stay at ASSE for the season?
In fact, I had the coach on the phone. He told me that the idea was for me to come back for the season, that he was counting on me. It was a pleasure. It reassured me to see that for the coach, I was an integral part of the project.
“I was injured before the final. During training, on an outing, Jessy (Moulin) hit me and the doctor diagnosed a rib fracture. But this final, I absolutely wanted to participate. I clenched my teeth “
What memories do you have of this final?
It’s quite mixed. In the end, we lost. But we still had a big game. We weren’t ridiculous, far from it. Even at 10 against 11, we more or less dominated the debates. We displayed an interesting face by being united, combative. It was positive. It gave us confidence.
Your goal now is to impose yourself?
Of course. Like all players, I think. I hope to play as many matches as possible and to perform well, to help the team.
You were injured on a rib at the start of the season …
In fact, I was injured before the final, in training, and the doctor had diagnosed a broken rib. But this final, I absolutely wanted to participate. I clenched my teeth. The next match, in a friendly, I also played against Bordeaux. But the pain was becoming less and less bearable. I spent two or three nights without closing an eye. I really needed to rest, for the bone to consolidate quietly. So, I watched the Lorient match on TV. Afterwards, I was on the bench for Strasbourg and Marseille.
Marseille precisely, is it your best memory since you joined ASSE?
Frankly yes, even though I was not in the field. Winning in Marseille is not given to everyone. In addition, we did it with the manner.
PS: the rest of the interview is to be found tomorrow on our site