Yannick Stopyra, recruitment manager at the Girondins de Bordeaux training center, recalled the career of the former Girondins defender, Jules Koundé, when he was younger.
“The story with Jules began when I was working at the hope center in Castelmaurou (in Haute-Garonne). We faced that of Talence (in Gironde). He was not an intern there, was not part of the structure, but Benoît Michelena took him to play on Wednesday afternoon. I discovered it then. Then, the following year, I joined the Girondins. We played against Talence again and Jules showed some qualities. That’s how he was recruited at the club, where you won’t find anyone to speak ill of him. Discreet, kind, always positive: it is unanimous in Bordeaux. There is an anecdote to sum it up: once, while training with the pros, he came to the center to take an exam. He was told that he didn’t have to, but he insisted on doing so. Others would not have insisted! The way he was educated, for us, it was a gold mine. We just had to continue. If today he can play as a full-back, he owes it to Patrick Battiston (head of the training center). He positioned him a bit as a right-back with the reserve, during training, while Jules was not convinced of being able to evolve in this position. Patrick told him that it could be an extra string to his bow ”.
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