The mask may well hide half of his face, Alexis Boucard’s smile crosses it. Since December 27, his job as “referent supporters“at FC Nantes had once again lost its flavor due to the return of gauges to sports venues limiting the number of spectators present to 5,000.”It was complicated, very complicated, for me, my counterparts and especially for the supporters who could not get to the stadium.“, blows the 26-year-old man, who arrived in La Jonelière four years ago. Now it’s a thing of the past.
The parenthesis, which seemed to last an eternity for football lovers, is now lifted and for the first time this year, Alexis Boucard will be able to do what he prefers in his profession: traveling and “try to ensure that the trip for all supporters goes as smoothly as possible“. They will be between 150 and 200, this Sunday afternoon at the La Meinau stadium in Strasbourg.
One trip, three weeks of work upstream
The Professional Football League does not hesitate to define supporter referents as “key players in the dialogue between clubs and their supporters“. Mandatory since May 10, 2016 and the promulgation of the law “strengthening dialogue with supporters and the fight against hooliganism“, the referent supporters appeared in the professional football landscape. “The idea is to build a constant dialogue with the supporters on the one hand and all the stakeholders within or outside the club on the other like the prefectures or the police”, explains Alexis Boucard. An exciting job, he says. When health or prefectural constraints do not spoil the party.
We are not going to have the same speech with a prefect of police and a leader of a group of supporters.
“Strasbourg, it’s really a trip that I’m waiting for“, loose the one who has the particular task of ensuring “that regular contact is maintained between the club and the supporters“, “inform supporters of decisions taken by club management which may be of interest to them” Where “still be involved in the preparation of all the matches“, as listed by the National Association of Supporters.”There is not a match that happens the same, smiles this Nantes man pure stock, as he likes to say. No matter how well we prepare for a trip, there is always something going on.”
And this, despite three weeks of upstream work, meetings and dozens of phone calls. “On match weekends, I can always be reachedhe promises. You can call me at any time, I am available to manage the hazards. ” Whether they are before, during and after the match. The routine of a supporter referent. That of Alexis Boucard for four seasons.
– Jean-Francois Monier
“We don’t always manage to please everyone”
On match days, the referee’s schedule is very busy. An arrival at the Meinau stadium three to four hours before the kick-off of the meeting. Fine-tune the final details before the arrival of the Nantes fans at the stadium where Alexis Boucard is responsible for welcoming them and then accompanying them to the parking lot reserved for visitors. “The idea is to put yourself in everyone’s shoes to try to satisfy as many players as possible, even if sometimes it’s not possible.he said. You have to have empathy and understand each other’s positions. You have to know how to show diplomacy, you also have to know how to adapt because we are not going to have the same speech with a prefect of police and a leader of a group of supporters. I try to understand everyone’s expectations and needs in order to try to meet them as best as possible.But can you really be fully legitimate and effective when you are an employee of a club, with necessarily relative independence? On this point, opinions differ. Obviously.
We have disagreements with the supporters and even internally, within the club, but the dialogue is very important.
Especially since the profession is exposed. Especially in Nantes where the groups of supporters, almost in unison, demand the departure of the management of the Yellow and Green. “We can’t always please everyoneconfirms the referent supporters. There are always things that go wrong and that’s normal. We sometimes have disagreements with supporters and even internallywithin the club, but the dialogue is very importantThis is one of the essential qualities to have for the position.
Credibility and in-depth knowledge of issues are also part of the profile of a position which is finally regaining its luster with the return of supporters to the roads of France. “In addition, Strasbourg is always pleasantengages Alexis Boucard. We are well received even if the parking lot is not terrible.” A sweet understatement when you know that the area is poorly placed and looks more like a cage than an area reserved for people who live their passion.