Hatem Ben Arfa, the striker of the Girondins de Bordeaux. – AFP
- The Girondins de Bordeaux travel this Sunday (9 p.m.) to Reims during the 38th and final day of Ligue 1 with two points ahead of the red zone.
- Will we see Hatem Ben Arfa again? The attacker is no longer in the odor of sanctity among the Navy and White.
- Despite a very good first half of the season, he never really found his place in the Bordeaux locker room before losing the support of his coach.
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From Reims to Reims. Between these two confrontations against the Champenois in Ligue 1 for the Girondins de Bordeaux, 151 days. Either all stack five months. It is also the time since the last decisive gesture of
Hatem Ben Arfa with the Navy and White. A pass for Ui-jo Hwang, on December 23. It’s been long, very long, too long for a player of his caliber. Today at the time for the Bordelais to go to the Auguste Delaune stadium to ensure their maintenance during the 38th of L1, it seems very far from the time when we even spoke of “Ben Arfa dependence” in Gironde at the end of 2020 (two goals and four assists in seven games).
We even wonder in recent days if we will ever see the French striker in the Girondins jersey. Indeed, it has completely disappeared from circulation. In a few months, he went from being privileged and darling to Jean-Louis Gasset to that of scapegoat or even plague victim to certain players and staff members at Haillan. “It’s sad, very sad,” admits to 20 Minutes one of his relatives who does not wish to dwell on the situation of the player and the club. Today, the Ben Arfa bet seems to be a failure …
The video, a gross awkwardness
This season is actually a condensed summary of the career of the former Lyon. A great start with great promises before a stir around his person to end up falling into oblivion. A mess ! However, and even if he had been warned by his relatives of the danger of betting on Hatem Ben Arfa, Jean-Louis Gasset went out of his way at the start of the season to attract this “football genius” to Bordeaux, as he qualifies it. The player also believed in it: “As soon as I saw that the coach was Jean-Louis Gasset, it made me want to come. As a man, I knew him in the France team (2010-2012) where I felt good energy. He’s still a coach with a lot of values. I really like his philosophy, ”he said when he arrived last October. Olivier Létang, who knows the two men very well, even spoke of a “beautiful marriage”.
OM-Bordeaux: “A beautiful marriage”, can the Ben Arfa-Gasset couple work in the Girondins? https://t.co/UtCL0Ou5of via @20minutesBord pic.twitter.com/Sha3cglObi
— 20minutesbordeaux (@20minutesbord) October 16, 2020
The first weeks will prove the current president of Losc right. In legs, involved, collective, Hatem Ben Arfa very quickly becomes one of the strongmen of the Girondins and offers for example two important victories to his team in Rennes and against Brest. “These six points are good for the Girondins today, eh? “, Teases those around him.
But in reality in the locker room, it’s already complicated. Complicated in particular because of an incredible clumsiness of Jean-Louis Gasset. It takes place even before the attacker’s arrival in Gironde. One fine morning, “JLG” decides to summon his attackers to a room in the training center to show them a video… Of what? The most beautiful actions of Ben Arfa! At the time, he thinks he is doing well. He wants to prepare the arrival of the player so that he is received as best as possible and above all to convey a message in substance: to show others that an exceptional player will join the team and that he will have to play for him. Jean-Louis Gasset will also publicly assume this choice. Problem, the sequence is extremely badly experienced by his attackers, some fall from their chair and one of them even gets up after a few seconds to tell him again in substance: “What is that coach?” We don’t need that, we all know him Ben Arfa! The incomprehension is total at the time. Some feel completely devalued and others immediately understand that the competition will be biased.
Gasset, the betrayal
This putting on a pedestal will never pass with a group that may be fractured but healthy. The total break comes in February after the match against Marseille where Ben Arfa shows selfishness on the pitch, playing almost alone in the second half against an opponent reduced to nine. That evening, the players had barely returned to the locker room than Laurent Koscielny vehemently attacks his partner. The captain of the Girondins throws a ball on him before insulting him. The attacker does not react at the time, he takes it. He has seen others. On the other hand, he will never forgive what will happen the following days. That is to say absolutely nothing!
“No one took the floor to restore order. Not a word from Gasset or Roche to defend it when it has gone too far. We can argue, argue, but there must always be a minimum of respect, ”recalls a close to the pro group. Hatem Ben Arfa will experience this as a real betrayal on the part of “JLG”. “When he feels he no longer has the confidence of his coach, he withdraws and it’s over. This has often been the case in his career, “confided a few weeks ago an acquaintance of the player to France 3 Aquitaine. This is exactly what is going to happen. Laurent Koscielny, he puts on a coat a few days later and calls on his leaders to “clean up” in the locker room. At the moment, some think he is aimed at players at the end of their contract but in reality, the international defender is targeting two players: Hatem Ben Arfa and Toma Basic with whom he also had several clashes.
A diplomatic wound?
Moreover since, and it is perhaps only a coincidence, the attacker was only twice holder in 11 games. He drags his sentence on the field and no longer seems involved at all like his entry into play against Rennes. To the point of reaching today the diplomatic wound? In any case, this is what is said around the club. The player claims to feel small pains but the staff does not find any trace of any injury. “He rides a bike” we simply comment at Le Haillan. On the side of the player’s entourage, we do not confirm this thesis. On the other hand, “Hatem [Ben Arfa] clearly is not the right psychological disposition ”to play. So will he be in Reims? And above all, will he be there again next season?
The player has an optional second year in his contract. At the moment T, it is difficult to imagine him continuing the Bordeaux adventure. But the striker has not yet made his decision because he awaits the official maintenance of the club and especially to know if the Girondins will be quickly redeemed. One of the potential buyers has also surveyed it in recent days. And according to information from 20 Minutes, four French and European clubs are ready to draw to attract him in their nets.
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