Ligue 1: “I would not be against a return”, the confidences of Brestois Steve Mounié before facing the MHSC

If he had not participated in the rout against the MHSC (0-7), in August 2022, “it was a shock”, says Mounié. MAXPPP – Nicolas Créach

Before the reunion on Sunday January 14 with the MHSC, a training club where he could see himself playing again, Breton striker Steve Mounié looks back on Michel Der Zakarian's time in Brest and the renewal with Éric Roy.

You helped to change the first leg by coming on (1-3, November 26). Does this scenario illustrate the current strength of Brest and its group?

Clearly, this is what makes us strong today, there is a rotation system in place. We are not players here to cause trouble, we are very professional players. We are aware that we are there for a common goal. This state of mind that reigns within the group means that we are up there (4th) rather than down.

Your trainer Eric Roy arrived in Brest a year ago. Is it his success to have been able to unite this group?

It’s certain that he manages to manage the players and their moods well. But it is also the responsibility of the executives within the group, of which I am a part, to transmit this message to everyone so that everyone understands that we are there to help the group above all and that our states souls must come later.

Coach Der Zakarian had a completely different approach to football, to management, a little harder, which did not necessarily suit the Brest players.

What has Éric Roy changed since his arrival ?

Before, coach Der Zakarian had a completely different approach to football, to management, a little harder, which did not necessarily suit the Brest players. It works well in the South, but among the Bretons it doesn't necessarily work (laughter).

Éric Roy arrived with something a little more “cool” (sic), he gave the players confidence and allowed the players to express themselves the way they wanted. The mayonnaise has set. He is quite pragmatic, he does not try to invent amazing tactics, he gets to the point most of the time.

Last season for maintenance, we went to the essentials and today we are showing other qualities. But it's always the same, we don't invent, we don't take any risks even if we manage to produce beautiful football. We're not crazy. And it comes from him.

You will meet Michel Der Zakarian again on Sunday. Is there a form of bitterness in the locker room towards him ?

For my part, his management never posed a problem for me, I was used to it in the South. It didn’t shock me at all. Now, there is no bitterness in the group. He served his time in Brest, he left for Montpellier. It’s just that he was able to throw little barbs in the media against Brest which sometimes are a little disturbing. But we, in the group, have no feelings at all against him or against Montpellier, there is no additional motivation for that. We just want to win matches.

During his time here, I played regularly, I have no problems with him. Even though he was a little tough, had his character, there was no problem. never had a problem between us. 

We're talking about this year's Montpellier, and we beat that one 3-1 at home.

Does the 7-0 loss last season imply a different motivation ?

Not even that, I wasn't there, I was in the stands because I was injured. But it was a shock. We didn't know what was happening during the match. Me being the first in the stands, I couldn’t believe it. It’s just a mistake. It won't happen to us twice.

Will you talk about it again as the match approaches ?

No way. We're talking about this year's Montpellier, and we beat that one 3-1 at home.

You are 4th with 31 points, almost maintained. And yet you continue to affirm that this remains your objective. Is this a posture for the media, the supporters or is it really the state of mind of the group ?

As long as we do not have the points required to be officially maintained, that is the objective. Once acquired, we will see. The rest is taken more as a joke than anything else. We tease each other in the group, we don't take ourselves seriously. OK, we had a great first part of the season but all the cards are reshuffled now. We can’t imagine anything at all. We just want to validate the maintenance as quickly as possible.

How do we manage not to get even more excited with an audience that responds, with twelve sold-outs in a row this season ?

It’s great, we managed to bring excitement throughout the city. It’s my fourth season here and when I walk around, everyone recognizes me everywhere and tells me that that’s what we do. I have the impression that the whole city comes to the stadium. Whereas before it wasn’t really that. It’s nice to bring this to this city which deserves a competitive team.

At La Mosson, I know everyone, I blow kisses every few meters (laughing).

You have now played more for Brest professionally than for the MHSC. Do you see any similarities between the two clubs which give the feeling of being similar ?

Montpellier remains my favorite club even if Brest plays an important part in my career. For the similarities, I see a family club, led by a French president (Denis Le Saint, Editor's note), who started from the lowest to make his fortune, like the Nicollins. These two clubs are closely linked by the way they are managed but also by their very popular supporters.

You left the MHSC in 2017. So you are used to meeting him. Does it still mean something to you despite everything ?

It always does something to me, especially at La Mosson. I know everyone, I blow kisses every few meters (laughing). It always gives me pleasure to return to this stadium where I had one of the best seasons of my career, where I was able to shine in the eyes of French and international football. It will always mean something to me to play against Montpellier.

There were approaches from both parties, mine and the MHSC, but it never went any further because, I think, of the financial plan.

Your name has regularly come up over the last few summers among MHSC supporters. Has the opportunity for a return already presented itself? And would you consider the possibility if that were the case?

A return, I wouldn't be against it, it's clear that it would please me. We have to see what the club wants. There are successful attackers today in Montpellier so is it current? I don't know. In the past, there were approaches from both parties, mine and the MHSC, but it never went further because, I think, of the financial plan.

You previously mentioned the rotations in this Brest team. You and Satriano share the center forward position with a regular turnover. How do we handle this situation ?

You have to try to work to perform well when you are called into the field. Especially since this is not a rotation that can be explained by performance. Because we could sometimes see that when I scored, the following match I was a substitute, and vice versa for Martin too. This rotation is I think only justified by the fact that we have to rotate what (laughing). Which I find a bit of a shame because it's no longer competition.

You talked about it with the coach?

No, not at all.

It hurts me, breaks my heart. It’s terrible for me not to have succeeded in taking Benin to this magnificent CAN.

The CAN starts this Saturday. You failed to qualify with Benin. How are you going to experience this competition ?

It’s horrible. I'm going to watch it because I'm a fervent supporter of African football and because I would have liked to be there. But it hurts me, breaks my heart. It’s terrible for me not to have succeeded in taking Benin to this magnificent CAN, moreover in Ivory Coast, a few steps from Benin. It would have been magical. I have a great disappointment in myself. But may the best win.

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