View from abroad

Bosetti: 'We'll pick ourselves up'

We couldn't have a world tour without making a stop at his place. At nearly 27 years old (his birthday is 23 April), Alexy Bosetti is living the American dream; a dream that is currently on hold due to COVID-19. What's the Locomotive El Paso forward getting up to then? We take you to Texas to find out.

The situation in El Paso

My wife and daughter arrived a week before the borders were closed, we got lucky.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Blessing . . #love #family #goals #babyjunn #famille #elpasotx #texas #usa #zoo #amour

Une publication partagée par Alexy Bosetti (@alexy__bosetti) le

El Paso, for the moment, is 80 cases and no deaths [as of 3 April]. It's crazy in the USA. In terms of insurance, it's not the same. The slightest stay in ICU costs more than $30,000…So you often hear it said that people prefer to stay at home when they're ill. It's terrible. Here in Texas we're not in lockdown, but everything is closed.

Training

Up to 3 April, we trained one-by-one on a pitch like the Charles-Ehrmann. My slot was at 8 a.m. We ran around an athletics track, but the problem was that there were too many people. As it was a school pitch, you also had the women's volleyball team and the men's American football team. So in the end, the club decided we should train at home and gave us weights, mats, elastic bands. We have a gym in the complex where we live, but it had to close.

For now, we're being told there will be no team training session before 19 April. But as the period of social distancing isn't due to end before 30 April, it's likely to be a little long. The hardest thing is not to know anything, but that's the way it is. I'm not gaining weight, and I'm trying to stay in form physically. In any case, the restaurants are closed, so that helps [laughs]. My wife and I cook at home, and we look after the little one, who can't go to school. There are 12 players in the complex, so we try to train together, to play football-tennis on the beach volleyball court, to see each other. That's positive.

The USL (US 2nd division)

We've only played one game in the league, and it was 0-0 [against Orange County].

It's a shame, because this season — quite honestly — we have everything. We have a good team with a top coach: Mark Lowry. He's a 34-year-old Englishman who's very close to his players, and who wants to put in place a team with a defined playing style. Last year, we finished sixth and lost in the conference final in the play-offs [against Real Monarchs Salt Lake City]. We can go for the title, I think.* At least we could before the break, now we'll have to see how things go and how we restart. Speaking personally, for the first time in years I've had a full pre-season of eight weeks. I feel great. That's why — in sporting terms — this break is unfortunate.

The MLS has been talking about a season that will run from July to November with two games a week. But when you look at the distances for away games, it looks tight. Speaking just about our group, you have several time zones. Chicago is one hour ahead of us, we're one hour ahead of Seattle…A usual away trip takes three days. Last season, we played four games in a row on the road, so that was ten days away from home…Having said that, if the squad is good, it's quite nice. It's also not as strict as in Europe, so when we go somewhere, we can visit stuff, walk around, have some free time. It's really good and overall it's a great experience. I'd only ever come back to Europe for Le Gym. I prefer to pursue my career here. This year, there are four French speakers in the squad, but I speak English now anyway. And as we're on the Mexican border, I wanted to start Spanish, but there are no more lessons for now…

Nice

I'm always getting news on what is happening in Nice, of course. It's sad. We'll still be talking about these times in ten years. I watch the TV, it's bizarre, even here for us, everything has stopped. If I had something to say to the Niçois, it would be to not give up. It's a difficult period for everyone, we'll pick ourselves up.

I'm still in contact with people at the club, and I played in the FIFA tournaments organised by OGC Nice. It was reallly fun. It was great to be able to participate with the fans and some former players [he defeated Mickael Le Bihan last Wednesday], even 10,000km away.

I've also decided to give my city a little helping hand.

For the moment, we've collected €1100 that we're going to send to the CHU in Nice. It's certain they need it more than we do. But even after the first amount has been sent, people can still donate and we'll send it on.

*The league title doesn't allow the team to move up a division. The MLS is a 'closed league', with no promotion or relegation, to help ensure financial stability. ''You have to pay," says Bosetti, referring to the sum each franchise must pay when the league decides to expand. "In 2021, the teams that will go to the MLS are Charlotte and Austin."