Dalmat : « I’m not a bad boy»
Stéphane Dalmat, the last recruit at the Stade Rennais, has been introduced to the press this morning. He arrives in Brittany preceded by a sulphurous reputation. Both the player and the club tried to tone down Dalmat’s bad boy reputation.
« There will be no double talk », warns Pierre Dréossi to open Stephane Dalmat’s introduction to the media on Tuesday morning. The Stade Rennais general manager knows too well, that he is embarking himself on a «demining mission». He knows that the 31 years old midfielder came along with a difficulty reputation as he signed a two years contract for the club. An embarrassing story, which has been staining the player’s reputation since more than a year. On March 30th, 2009, Stéphane Dalmat was caught drunk at the door of a Parisian night-club. When the Police tried to control him, the player went into a fight with a police officer, and was consequently sentenced to a suspended two month jail sentence.
« I’ve made a mistake, I paid»
No surprise the story is a worry in a club as smooth and careful in all communication as the Stade Rennais. Pierre Dréossi knows it, and he doesn’t save his energy to reassure each and every one. He admits however, that « the player’s legal issues posed a problem to finalise the transfer. We have been asking ourselves questions. We searched information about the player and the man. Everything we’ve heard from his former teams, their presidents, their coaches, their supporters… It made us feel better. »
Stéphane Dalmat’s too, is eager to give his feelings on the situation: «I am not a bad boy». He gets irritated: «My entire career, this reputation has been following me. It started in Paris. This is not who I am. I’m a simple man, living a quiet life, I love my job. » His legal problems? «I’ve made a mistake, I’ve paid. Now I want to forget about this story. »
« I’m not here to give lessons »
Now, the player, having spent time in eleven different clubs such as Paris, Marseille or Inter Milan, wants to talk about football. «At the end of a cycle and an adventure in Sochaux», Dalmat arrives in Brittany to play «center midfield, in order to bring a link between midfield and attack ». The former Sochaux man has even accepted to lower his salary expectations to sign in Rennes.
31 years old, the new Rennes number 10 is already considered as a senior member of Frederic Antonetti’s squad. With no playing time guaranteed, the former future superstar of French football knows what he has to do: «Be as decisive as possible, bring in my experience and give the younger players a lift. I’m not here to give lessons. I’m not going to shout: “do this, do that”. I prefer to say a few words when it’s needed, at specific times. » A leader in his soul, who demands to be judged «on the pitch, nowhere else”
Benjamin Keltz - Le Mensuel de Rennes
Pictures : www.lemensuelderennes.fr