Olympique de Marseille midfielder Valentin Rongier has become a key figure in Igor Tudor's side, inheriting the captain's armband as the southern giants enjoy a hugely successful season. He sat down for chat with the Ligue 1 Show on beIN SPORTS. Interview.
Last weekend, Valentin Rongier made his 100th Ligue 1 appearance for Olympique de Marseille in the 1-1 draw with Monaco.
The stalemate took OM's fine unbeaten run to nine games across all competitions; their last defeat came against Tottenham in early November, a dramatic loss that put an end to the south coast club's Champions League adventure.
Perfect timing
"The World Cup came at a good time for us. It allowed us to think a bit more clearly and forget about our Champions League elimination, which was a real failure for us," Rongier told the Ligue 1 Show on beIN SPORTS. "The World Cup came along, and now we're feeling good! I think we're getting results because we're playing well. Everything we've achieved has been fully deserved, and now we're fully focused and ready to finish the season in style!"
Very much involved in the title race, Marseille are in the running to be crowned champions of France for the first time in 13 years, and Rongier is playing a key role. That would be some feat, for many reasons, but especially given the change of manager that occurred in the summer and the criticism that came Igor Tudor's way in his early weeks in charge.
House of Tudor
"Any Marseille coach will come under intense scrutiny, and they know it," Rongier explained. "When things aren't going too well, they are criticised, and that's normal. It took time, but now I think we've hit our stride and we're working even better than we were at the start of the season."
So what methods has Tudor put in place to yield such cohesion, both in matches and in training?
"He asks for a lot of discipline, and not just on the pitch, in everyday life. It's lots of details; not being late, and we've had to rethink our eating habits," detailed the former Nantes prodigy. "These are normal things but he's very strict about them. Of course, to begin with, it was strange because these aren't things we were used to under [former coach Jorge] Sampaoli, but If I had to define him, his biggest quality is his work ethic, his commitment."
This includes a healthy portion of not worrying overly about things outside their control.
"The coach insists we have to focus on what WE have to do, and what WE should avoid. He believes that if we put his philosophy into play, we can cause problems to any team in the world," he continued. "You have to be physically fit, otherwise it's very tough, but also focused, on the details, whether that's going forwards or more importantly, defending."
Attitude
So what ways has Rongier found to thrive in this atmosphere?
"I try never to forget anything he has asked of us and his style of play requires a lot of energy, both physically and mentally, so we have to avoid errors, and I think that's where I am good," he explained. "I always, or at least regularly - I am human after all - but I stay focused and I always apply myself."
Rongier's attitude has not gone unnoticed: Tudor has handed the captain's armband to the former Nantes midfielder in a strong show of faith in a season in which Marseille have racked up their best points total at the half-way stage since 1998.
"There's still a lot for me to learn. I'm incredibly proud to be wearing the armband here at Olympique de Marseille; I try to do what is asked of me as best I can. I'll never get carried away and start behaving like someone I'm not," said the 28-year-old. "The armband has been given to me because the coach trusts me, but we're all captains: we all look to push each other and if somebody has something to say to me, I'll listen the same way I always have. So yes, I have the armband but it doesn't change much in my mind!"
With Rongier keeping things balanced in midfield, Marseille have every chance of doing great things this term!
