Interview

Cyprien sets the direction

He is preparing for his third season with the Gym and is participating in his first pre-season trip to Divonne. Arriving after the trip in 2016, injured in 2017, Wylan Cyprien is therefore delighted to be making this trip to Ain. At peace with his body and determined, the 23 year old midfielder only has one thing on his mind: victory. And he won’t be shying away from his responsibilities to drive the Gym forward in 2018/2019.

Wylan, on this trip, what feeling dominates: the joy of being with your teammates or the tiredness from the work? 

There are several feelings. We are here with a group of friends, we will laugh and talk, far away from everything, just us together. It’s good and it gives us a chance to get to know the new boys. Then, there is always that “apprehension” of the big sessions, if you can say that. But they are essential if you want to have a good season. This year, we wont have the Europa League and although it was a real source of disappointment at the end of last season, I think that it will allow us to perform better in the first matches. 

Why?  

Last year, we went through lots of changes and we didn’t really have the time. Some guys played together in a competitive match after meeting just one week before... Now, it’s different: we have time to prepare together. The trip is an opportunity for everyone to get to know each other and in that way, when you have to make an effort on the pitch, you know very well who you are making it for. You know the guys you are battling for and the guys that will be battling for you. If new players arrive after, they will easily slip into the squad. It’s good for cohesion.

Are you surprised by this pre-season that is purely focused on ball work? 

No, I have already seen this before. With  Antoine Kombouaré (at Lens), it was also the case. It’s a different way of doing things, it makes it a lot more relevant to what we do in a match. The main thing, is that we are ready for the start of the league. No matter what method we use. Although you can’t deny that working with the ball is a lot more enjoyable. 

How have you felt during the transition between Lucien Favre and Patrick Vieira?

They are two guys who are passionate about football and they share the same ambition: to win. The approach is different, not the objective: to go as high as possible and to move forward. Since the start of my career, I have been through lots of changes, it has never bothered me. I continue to look forward.

"It instills an immediate respect, something different” 

What can you tell us about Coach Vieira?
He speaks in a way that the players and everyone appreciates. Everybody knows who he is, the things he has won. He was a huge player on the pitch: I think he wants to show the huge man that he is on the bench. I will do everything to help him to reach that objective.

His experience as a player, does that change something for you? 

It instills an immediate respect, something different. You know who he is, what he did, when he says something, it’s for your own good. He was a midfielder and I am a midfielder: when he speaks, he is right. I have started, but I haven’t done anything yet, I will take everything he can give me  and apply it to be a successful as possible.  

After your knee injury, you got back into the games in January: what have you made of the last six months? 

At the start, I was very excited and very happy. Then, there were the little physical niggles. In the end, everything came back into place, I began to feel better. Now, my body is beginning to follow me, that makes me feel good. I can prepare myself as I need to, that’s what I was waiting for.

"I want to win, with Tom, Dick or Harry” 

Is it difficult to focus on the season when the final squad isn’t yet confirmed? 

No. To tell the truth, I am not interested in these things. I want to win, be it with Tom, Dick or Harry - my objective doesn’t change. The squad’s objective doesn’t either. It doesn’t matter which players will come, we need to create a tough core, with everyone together. A united core, and to be incredibly solid. That’s the only way we can go far as a group. 

This season, you won’t have the role of the “youngster coming through” any more...

My role doesn’t change: I need to be the best possible on the pitch to help those guys who are starting. But that will be the case for several of us, like Dante or Pierre (Lees-Melou). If the coach needs it, he will be able to rely on me to pass on messages to some guys or to take on responsibilities. I already had the chance to do that at Lens. Here, we have a captain (Dante) who is great with us, but alone, it’s not always easy to manage everything. So I will try to be alongside him, to help him to speak and to put some guys on the right track when they go off-piste slightly. On the pitch, when there are tough moments, you need guys who slam their hands on the table and put things into place. I will do that and to take on that responsibility with pride. 

Is it already possible to define your objectives?

Nothing specific. We are all in the same place, we want to win and do the maths at the end. Two years ago, we managed things like that and it was a success. Last year, we started very badly, so now, our priority is to negotiate the early stages of the season, so that we aren’t left with regrets at the end.

C.D.