Stéphane Bahoken: "We have to adapt to this exceptional situation"

Text by: Marie-Amélie Motte

After stopping the Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 championships this week in France, Stéphane Bahoken is already planning for the next season and would prefer to wait to be able to play in full stadiums. The Angers SCO and Cameroonian international striker also talks about the possible postponement of CAN 2021.

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RFI: This Thursday, April 30, the Professional Football League (LFP) announced the end of the Championship. Angers officially ends in 11th in Ligue 1. What was your reaction to the announcement of this decision?

Stéphane Bahoken: I was not very surprised. I am happy because the objective has been fulfilled but I am also disappointed because I would have liked to finish the Championship, even if we end on a positive note. There is a taste of unfinished business. We had a hole between December and January, and there we were on the right slope to earn points and go up in the ranking. The squad was practically full, there were ten matches left so everything was possible.

The League is now planning to launch the 2020/2021 season on August 22 and 23. If that is decided, you will have spent five months without playing an official match. Apart from periods of injury, this is completely new in the career of a footballer ...

It is a historic situation, of the unprecedented. After the announcement of the League, we had a video meeting with the whole team, the coach Stéphane Moulin and the president Saïd Chabane. If the plan is maintained, we would have a very big preparation to do. In general, we have four weeks of collective training, there we would practically double, plus four weeks of individual preparation before. We must adapt to this exceptional situation.

What do you think of the possibility of playing certain matches behind closed doors, perhaps the first in August?

I'm a little bit divided because after five months without playing, we will necessarily want to find the field. But playing in an empty stadium is not what we play football for. If we have to play the first matches behind closed doors, we will do it because we are professional. But if we are given the choice to wait to be able to play in front of supporters, I think all players will opt to wait a little longer.

Another question of the moment on the football calendar: will the African Cup of Nations be held from January 9 to February 6? Several figures of African football plead for its postponement, like Samuel Eto'o. Do you also think that it is impossible to play this CAN in January in Cameroon? Knowing that there are four qualifying days left to compete.

No, I think it is still possible. The people who organize the competitions are paid to find solutions in such serious situations. Personally, I am not in favor of the postponement. Maybe playing it in June might be a good idea, but it would fall at the time of the Euro… It is really a headache. But since there are four days left and football is supposed to resume from August… I think there is still time. (…) A postponement would be really disappointing. But, as long as we play it at home, I'm happy!

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