Douchez : “Difficult to reverse things”

After three full seasons with the Stade Rennes shirt, Nicolas Douchez will play his final game with the Rouge et Noir, this Sunday, at the Stadium Nord of Villeneuve d’Ascq . In an interview to L’Équipe, the man from Rosny-sous-Bois gives more detail about the reasons that pushed him to leave Brittany.

The circumstances of last season, in which Douchez had added up below par performances, were eventually decisive in his choice. After the first contract extensions talks had failed, the goalkeeper had resigned himself to a departure, and the “split” then created, followed by the recruitment of Johann Carrasso, paved the way to Douchez’ departure. “From that moment, I couldn’t see the possibility for things to turn out right, he explained. I started the season thinking it would be the last. When you have this in your mind, and whatever happens, it’s hard to reverse things”.

After several months of standstill, the Rennes management eventually came back in touch after « letting the situation drag for too long », according to Douchez, with a contract offer more in phase with the goalkeeper’s desire, but by then already “difficult to accept”.
Today, it is the Rennes staff’s turn to kick themselves. “They have regrets, because they wanted me to stay and they thought they had done for it…”, Douchez admits, while affirming that he leaving the club in good terms anyhow.