Mute since the start of the season, Ludovic Blas was finally able to say everything he had in his heart. Just two days after agreeing to stay at FC Nantes, the midfielder played 45 minutes, in the second half. And of good quality. Very enterprising, he wanted to prove to the Canaries supporters that he had digested his aborted transfer to Lille. Faced with journalists, he also wanted to deliver his version of the story and ensure that staying one more season was anything but a constraint. Maintenance.
“Being in the misunderstanding like that was too much for me”
How did you experience this week of twists and turns?
In the week and the previous ones, it was a bit complicated. I didn’t know where to put my head. It was complicated to work in training and to play matches. I didn’t know what I was going to do, where I was going to end up, I didn’t know the decisions of the presidents. I had no news. I played the matches against Lille and Marseille out of respect for my team-mates and for the club because I owe a lot to this club and I therefore absolutely wanted to be present. But at one point it was too complicated. That’s why I made the decision to tell the coach that I didn’t want to play today [contre Toulouse, ndlr], to try to get answers. It was perhaps going to allow me to have some and that’s what happened. I had some, now I’m clear in my head and this season I’m in Nantes.
There will be discussions with management but I don’t know at all, as we speak, if I’m going to extend.
Did you want to join Lille?
I had an exit voucher at first. Afterwards, certain things happened with LOSC, the presidents of the two clubs discussed between them and I believe that there was an agreement. This situation was complex, one wonders: “am I going to stay here or leave?“Anyway, the presidents are the ones who decide and to be in the misunderstanding like that, it was too much for me. I may have activated something which made a little noise, but it helped me to play today.
Would you like to extend your contract, which currently extends until 2024?
I don’t want people to say that I’m staying because someone offers me something. I’m here because I want to. In my head, I said to myself:I want to leave“, but I have two years left on my contract so I’m wide enough for now, I’m going to continue the adventure at FC Nantes. Afterwards there will be discussions but I don’t know at all, for the moment, as we speak, if I’m going to extend. I think we’ll talk in the week [avec la direction, ndlr] but the most important thing is not the extension, it’s that I’m there this year.
“Now it’s square, I want to stay here for Europe”
Were you guaranteed to be able to benefit from an exit voucher at the end of the season?
The president decides. We’ll see how it goes. I don’t listen too much anymore when people tell me: “you have an exit voucher”. We saw the result today.
What convinced you to stay at FC Nantes?
I went to see the coach to say that I couldn’t play this weekend because I didn’t have an answer and I wasn’t well in my head. I had no certainty and it was complicated. He understood it. And in the end, what I did, it worked, I got answers the next day. I just needed answers to continue the adventure, to know if the president wanted to let me go or if he wanted me to stay. Either way, I was going to be happy. Frankly, we are not going to lie to each other, here we are well, there is the European Cup, etc. You just had to tell me yes or no. I did not want to remain in uncertainty. He said no, we talked and he told me why. Now it’s square. I want to stay here for Europe!
Do you think you have digested this episode?
I tried to show it when I came in. We can talk but it’s on the ground that I’m going to show it. I came in, I helped the team, I encouraged everyone. Merely.