The Ligue 1 Show's Matt Spiro sat down with promising young Monaco defender Benoît Badiashile and talked about everything from his joining Monaco's youth academy to making his Ligue 1 Uber Eats debut under a certain Thierry Henry... Pt I of a two-part special.
Benoît Badiashile is part of a new generation of super-talented French young guns, having made his AS Monaco debut at just 17 - on top of featuring for France at every youth level - and remaining a fixture in the senior team under a number of different coaches, from Henry to Niko Kovac to current boss Philippe Clément.
Matt Spiro: Hello Benoît. How are you feeling now that you are back in training after your injury?
Benoît Badiashile: Yes, I’m better. I was out for a certain period, but I’m running again now, doing some work with the ball. So things are progressing gradually.
You must be desperate to get back because there are some exciting months ahead.
Exactly, when you have been out for a while, unable to do anything, you are in a hurry to return. But I’m not going to rush it because I’ve already had this injury once before, so I’ll take my time, then when I’m ready, why not start playing again.
It must have been frustrating to get injured in the first game under the new coach Philippe Clément?
For sure, when a new coach comes in you want to show him what you can do. I played the first half but unfortunately got injured. These things happen in football, you have to get up and move forward.
How have things been with Philippe Clément?
It’s going very well. He’s a coach who is very close to his players. He talks to me a lot. Every day he sees how I am doing. That’s very nice for me.
He’s an attack-minded coach, like Niko Kovac. Have you noticed differences in the two approaches?
From a football point of view, the coaches are quite similar. They want us to press a lot. When we win the ball, we have to spring forward quickly and create a lot of chances. So there isn’t a huge difference between Niko Kovac and Philippe Clément.
Let’s talk about you and your story with Monaco. It’s already 6-7 years since you joined the academy, you’re now in your fourth season with the senior team. You must feel at home here?
Yes, for sure. I came through the academy here, I was lucky to start my professional career here, so I’m proud of that. I feel very good, I’m at home here, I hope it will continue.
What’s mad is that you are 20 and you’ve already played more than 100 games. 83 league games. You feel different today, I guess, compared to when you started?
Yes, clearly. I have more experience now. I know more or less about top level football… I the start I even played some European games. So I definitely feel better now than at the start of my career and, as I said, I hope that will continue.
The fact that French clubs – and Monaco in particular – are known for giving youth a chance, this must have affected your choice to come here. You must be satisfied?
Definitely! I could name you quite a few players who have come through the academy here. So it was certainly a positive factor in my decision. I told myself I’d have a good chance of turning pro here if I showed my qualities. I think I made the right decision and I really hope that the adventure will continue.
Which players have come through Monaco’s academy in the past?
Thierry Henry, Kylian Mbappé, Emmanuel Petit… there are plenty, I could name a lot! It’s true there are a lot.
Petit played in your position at the time… Lilian Thuram as well…
Lilian Thuram too…
It’s interesting for a young player.
For sure, as I said, it was something that I thought about. I thought ‘why not try to follow in their footsteps’. And I hope to continue my progression.
What’s more, the coach who gave you your chance…
It was Thierry Henry.
What was that like? Playing in Ligue 1 with Henry as a coach!
It’s special having a great player as your coach. He knows about top level football. He gave me a lot of advice, he advised all the young players who were there. And… unfortunately it didn’t finish well, but I owe him everything because he gave me my chance first, and I’m very happy.
Were there times when wondered if it was really happening?
Sometimes you ask the question, yes! You’re proud to have got there because not everybody has a chance to start so young, and especially with a coach like that. I was lucky, I made the most it, and I’m very happy.
The first season wasn’t easy… I guess you recall your first match. Who was it against?
It was against PSG. We lost 4-0. Not the best of starts. But it was an experience, it was the start of my career, not everybody gets to make a debut against PSG… So honestly I’ll only take positives from that first game, despite the defeat, because I truly learned what top level football is, and now I’m ready.
It’s not easy going from the youth team to a game against PSG…
That’s right, it’s hard! There’s a colossal difference between the 4th tier and a game against the best players in the world, it’s totally different. I learned and now I feel a lot better.
Do you remember what Thierry Henry said to you before or after the game?
Yes, he basically told me to play my game, that’s it really. Not to be stressed, to play normally. And what happens, happens. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on myself, just play as usual.
It’s quite the experience… You’ve had a lot of different coaches in your career… there was a famous scene with Thierry Henry…
Ah yes! I thought you might bring that up. The scene with the chair, right?
Yes.
I made a youthful mistake. I forgot to put my chair back, and in his role as coach he told me to put the chair back, and it won’t happen again.
It’s not big deal, is it? To not put your chair back…
For him it was a big deal! We laughed about it afterwards. It was a nice moment.
He was being a bit like a father…
It was exactly that.
So, you first months were tough, Thierry Henry is replaced by Franck Passi… and after a defeat against Dijon, we saw you break down in tears…
Honestly, I felt a lot of emotion. Monaco are the club of my heart, and my club was suffering. We were fighting to stay up – that’s not something that Monaco is used to. So I was touched, I felt bad, and my emotions got the better of me.
You were taking on a lot of responsibility. A little over a year earlier Monaco had been crowned champions...
Exactly. When you are on the pitch… you think that you don’t want to be one of the players who took Monaco down to Ligue 2. So I was affected, and there we go.
Watch this space for Pt II of Matt's interview with Benoît Badiashile
