On the one hand, the strength of character of a team that managed to get two goals in 20 minutes. On the other hand, a completely missed first hour, before this jump which allowed the DFCO to hang the 2-2 draw against Niort on Saturday evening, for the 18th day of Ligue 2. The Dijon supporters know in any case the name of the one who got the “Reds” out of the rut: striker Mickaël Le Bihan. Back after a month of absence due to an injury, he comes into play in the 65th minute … and scores a direct equalizer free kick five minutes from the end. Nine times in thirteen appearances, author of three goals, the former HAC, Nice and AJA was the guest of 100% DFCO Monday, December 13, 2021.
You score on this direct free kick … yet it is not you who usually shoot?
Usually, I often leave the others. And then, quite simply, I felt it. Val ‘(Jacob) felt it too. Aurel ‘(Scheidler) felt it too. And then I insisted on pulling it. They trusted me because they didn’t stay around the ball. They let me focus quietly. And then, with a little luck, it ends at the bottom. So good for us.
At that moment, it must be throbbing hard anyway. 2-1 for Niort, 84th minute of play …
I looked at the time on the scoreboard and I see that we still have time if I score the free kick. I concentrated as much as possible to frame him, already, because I thought that even if he pushed him back, it could be dangerous. And then there you go, it ends at the bottom, so it’s good for us. Unfortunately, we did not know how to score this third goal which would have done us a lot of good. But hey, that’s already it. When you lose 2-0 at half-time, make 2-2, I think everyone would have signed at half-time.
We found a direct free kick scored with the Nice reserve in 2018 against Annecy. Have you put others in your career?
No, because I don’t shoot them often. My friends often tell me to take the ball. But it’s true, I think there is a much better shooter than me. There I felt it, I really insisted and it came back.
What do you remember from this draw against Niort? Having been able to come back to equalize? Or the first half – even the first hour – completely missed?
It is necessary to say the things, we got through the first half completely and afterwards, I think it was very important to react. We knew how to talk to each other at half-time. We came back with other intentions and a better state of mind and we were able to come back to the score.
Mickaël, how do you cope with the criticisms against you, which have been fairly present since your arrival in Dijon?
It’s understandable. I was recruited to score goals, something I have done very little since I got here. So the criticisms, I understand them. After, I find they are really accentuated on me while I never said that I was Cristiano Ronaldo or Mbappé, to take the ball and dribble everyone. Of course, you need a working team for me to have balloons. If I had missed ten chances, I would understand some criticisms, but there, sometimes, I find them a little harsh.
I never said I was Cristiano Ronaldo or Mbappé, to take the ball and dribble everyone
Afterwards, I understand them globally, because an attacker must score, something that I do not do enough. So there is no problem with me. That’s why I’m happy to have scored this free kick, because it’s just one more goal. Which also allows the team to have a point. That’s what I absolutely want, even if I don’t have to score. The most important thing is to be efficient for the team and bring back as many points as possible.
Could the star rookie status and that label of “second top scorer in Ligue 2”, 19 goals for AJA last year, create too much expectation around you?
No, I don’t have any pressure. Afterwards, I understand people. When there is the second top scorer in Ligue 2 who arrives, he is expected to score. That’s why I understand people. I’m going to repeat myself, but it’s true, the team has to go well so that the center-forward has enough balls to show himself. I got out of the game several times without shooting once, so it’s complicated. Now, we are talking about it with the team, there is a whole. It’s the team that is not doing very well, me who is probably making the wrong calls. So there is a whole. We all take our share of responsibility.
When there is the second top scorer in Ligue 2 who arrives, he is expected to score.
To come back to your departure from Auxerre, why did you decide to leave AJA?
To come back to the Auxerre episode, I think it was they who simply did not intend to keep me. Afterwards, there were things that were not said. Me, I had a very clear speech, without speaking about money, to prolong. I just talked about years of contract. I said that I would not discuss below two years of contract. They only offered me a year, for me, there was no negotiation possible.
I think it was they who didn’t mean to keep me
Despite the difficult start to the season, do you not regret having signed for Dijon?
No, I’m fine here. Unfortunately, it is not yet felt too much on the pitch. We must not forget that my first season at Auxerre was also far from top. I talked about it a lot with my agent, with my friends, and I often take a long time to be efficient in a club. It often takes me a year.
We must not forget that my first season at Auxerre was also far from top.
We have everything to succeed. We have a great training center, there is a great city, there is a great stadium and top supporters because, frankly, they come to support the team a lot despite the ranking. He only missing the results and some performances, it will come. There’s no problem. There were a lot of new players at the start of the season, so obviously it takes time to adapt and things can only get better.
Patrice Garande, your trainer, explained that your association with Aurélien Scheidler was not complementary and that it made “the team outsmart”. Yet this weekend the two of you played together. Why ?
It was really to put pressure on the opposing defense, to really push as much as possible and have as many chances as possible. He must always be thinking the same thing. For him, we are not complementary. Afterwards, when we lose 2-0, obviously, when we have two attackers, we make them play together. For me, it was logical for him to join us in this match. But I really don’t think he’ll associate us both with kickoff.
For him, we are not complementary
Mickaël, you know the next DFCO opponent well in the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France, AS Cannes (Saturday, December 18) … since you played there!
I did the two years as a youngest and the first year in less than 13 years!
What memories do you keep of AS Cannes?
Very well. Because at the time, if I’m not talking nonsense, they were National. It was a very nice club and I started my classes in the south, over there, before signing in Fréjus.
Do you still follow them today?
Less and less. I had a few colleagues who played with me in Cannes, who continued the adventure at AS Cannes, so I followed the results quite a bit. But there, no, I hardly know anyone anymore, apart from a few former coaches. The players, in any case, I don’t know many people anymore.
Another team that plays as an amateur (N3), can we once again speak of a trap? As against Saint-Apollinaire and Morteau-Montlebon?
No, it’s not the same trap. I have already warned in the locker room, I think it’s going to be really complicated because, for me, the level of the South is really higher. There, it will already be a stronger team. And then, the land over there, apparently, is not a pancake either. There is a lot of sand so it can be a tough game too.
I think it’s going to be really complicated because, for me, the level of the South is really higher