In a few months, he will swap the Alpine peaks, which he has admired for almost five years, for the Beauceronne plain. A change of life and quite clear-cut scenery that Julien Meyer says he needs to breathe new life into his career.
For various reasons, the 24-year-old Alsatian believes he has stagnated lately in Chambéry, and hopes to resume in Chartres a climb started very young, with international titles among juniors, followed by summons to the France team.
Julien Meyer signs three years in Chartres
Earlier this week, the future CCMHB goalkeeper came to scout Eure-et-Loir with his wife, Julia. Between an apartment visit and a walk in town, the international tricolor confided in his expectations, his career and his life off the field, he whose balance does not only pass through handball. A calm and thoughtful young man, he is already the father of a little girl, manages a property consulting business and even learns Russian, his partner’s mother tongue.
The choice of Chartres
“I needed a real project, that of Chartres is interesting. It is a club that is preparing for the future and is gradually grabbing places in the standings. The club is structured, a room arrives, it’s dynamic. The staff’s speech inspired me, they want to work with me, and I with them. Especially with Nebojsa (Stojinovic, the goalkeeper coach) on a specific level in order to develop myself. I love the Yugoslav school, I got to know it at the beginning in Chambé. This is what I need to take a new step in my career. Toni Gerona talks a lot about work, and that suits me well. My real goal is to take a more important place in a D1 team. And then the living environment is ideal for our little family. I had different options, but I quickly narrowed down the choice between Chartres and Balingen, Germany. Rather than going to an already European club, I wanted to take my full part in the construction. Balingen was also an environment that I like, with a culture similar to that of Alsace. But now was not necessarily the time. “
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His profile
“I am quite dynamic for a tall (1.97 m). I worked for a very long time with Jean-Luc Kieffer in Strasbourg, my mentor. He made me work a lot on explosiveness. I am a big one who does not necessarily play on his segments or his placement. I go very quickly where I want. But I also need this calm side of the goalkeeper who channels himself, who gains experience and takes place where it is needed. I am calm in life and in the field. Thoughtful, sometimes a little too much ?! “
Julien Meyer has been working in Chambéry since 2016.
Its progression
“I stagnated, it’s obvious. Why?? There is the playing time aspect, of course. However, I got off to a good start at Chambé, I started to switch with Yann (Genty). Then the coach left, the sports project was reworked with Erick (Mathé). We are also dependent on that… I know that I progressed, but I could not show it and I am the only one to know it (laughs). So I needed to see something else. I was starting to tire of the Chambéry project, which for me has stagnated for too long. I needed renewal. Some people criticize my choice, but I answer that one club is under construction, the other in decline, even if I do not want to put Chambé on the back burner. I take the wave of dynamism. “
His season
“I had a lot of glitches this year, and again these days with a problem in my elbow. I caught the Covid, I had a hard time coming back from it. It’s a weird season, with no spectators. We started, we cut, we train, we don’t train… I had a good period, then less playing time. It’s hard to find rhythm and consistency. “
The french team
“Of course, it’s a goal to go back. It’s inside of me, but it’s not predominant. I know that will only happen if the day-to-day goes well and the club performances are there. It will be the daily harvest. It’s part of my choice to come to Chartres: maybe I have to show myself in another jersey to come back. “
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His life as an entrepreneur
“I’ve always had the will to do something on the side, it’s a personal fulfillment. I think the hand shouldn’t be taken too seriously, even though it’s our job. The more we sanctify it, the more we take it seriously, the less we perform. Finally, it’s my way of thinking. I wanted a job on the side, I don’t like sitting around doing nothing so I continued my studies, even if often, it was not suited to the life of a top athlete. I have always had an attraction for wealth management, I graduated and opened my own business. The goal is to help those that I can, that I know. It is not intended to be a large firm with fifty employees, but if it develops, is it good ?! ”
Romain Leger
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