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Allez Guingamp! The market town in Brittany celebrates more Cup glory Allez Guingamp! The market town in Brittany celebrates more Cup glory
(4 months later)
Which team do you think have the best record in the Coupe de France over the past five years? PSG? Monaco, Marseille, Lyon? Wrong on all counts. The only team to have won the trophy twice in that time come from a little market town, with a population of around 7,500, in rural Brittany. It's as if, say, Guiseley found themselves one of the unlikely kings of English football.Which team do you think have the best record in the Coupe de France over the past five years? PSG? Monaco, Marseille, Lyon? Wrong on all counts. The only team to have won the trophy twice in that time come from a little market town, with a population of around 7,500, in rural Brittany. It's as if, say, Guiseley found themselves one of the unlikely kings of English football.
On Saturday night, En Avant de Guingamp beat Stade Rennais 2-0 in the final at the Stade de France, following up a 2-1 victory over the same opponents in 2009. Around 80,000 trekked down to Paris for the Breton derby final, with a sizeable number of the Guingamp contingent making their way by tractor.On Saturday night, En Avant de Guingamp beat Stade Rennais 2-0 in the final at the Stade de France, following up a 2-1 victory over the same opponents in 2009. Around 80,000 trekked down to Paris for the Breton derby final, with a sizeable number of the Guingamp contingent making their way by tractor.
Why do I care? Because EAG – not Barça or Inter or Borussia Dortmund – are my continental club. Me, my closest friend, Jeff, and our families have been on holiday to the town three times, the first in August 2009, when I didn't know it even had a team. We were wandering around the market square on a Thursday morning, when we noticed a disproportionate number of Germans in the town. What on earth could they be doing there?Why do I care? Because EAG – not Barça or Inter or Borussia Dortmund – are my continental club. Me, my closest friend, Jeff, and our families have been on holiday to the town three times, the first in August 2009, when I didn't know it even had a team. We were wandering around the market square on a Thursday morning, when we noticed a disproportionate number of Germans in the town. What on earth could they be doing there?
When we walked past the club shop, on that main square, we found the answer. EAG were to play Hamburg that night. Was it a friendly? We popped into the shop to find out, and got our answer. On the counter stood the French Cup – you could have your photo taken with it, with your own camera; you didn't have to pay £25 to an official photographer – which they had won the previous May, despite being a second division club. This had earned the club entry into the Europa League and their qualifier was that night. I bought a couple of tickets – the second most expensive in the ground, at a crippling €20 apiece – and Jeff and I went along that evening. When we walked past the club shop, on that main square, we found the answer. EAG were to play Hamburg that night. Was it a friendly? We popped into the shop to find out, and got our answer. On the counter stood the French Cup – you could have your photo taken with it, with your own camera; you didn't have to pay £25 to an official photographer – which they had won the previous May, despite being a second division club. This had earned the club entry into the Europa League and their qualifier was that night. I bought a couple of tickets – the second most expensive in the ground, at a crippling €20 apiece – and Jeff and I went along that evening.
The Stade du Roudourou was packed to its 18,000 capacity. It seemed everyone from within a 50-mile radius had decided to come – it was as much social event as football match. The locals stared at us, largely because we'd anticipated big bar queues in the ground, so had bought three beers each on arrival. We didn't realise getting tanked up had no part in the Breton matchday experience.The Stade du Roudourou was packed to its 18,000 capacity. It seemed everyone from within a 50-mile radius had decided to come – it was as much social event as football match. The locals stared at us, largely because we'd anticipated big bar queues in the ground, so had bought three beers each on arrival. We didn't realise getting tanked up had no part in the Breton matchday experience.
It was a good job the fans were in good humour, because Hamburg ripped EAG apart, winning 5-1. You didn't need to be José Mourinho to see that Guingamp's decision to play with a narrow defence, full-backs tucked in to the edge of the penalty area, was unwise against a team with two wingers and a centre-forward who won everything in the air. In fact, you rather got the sense it was not going to be the home side's evening from the warm-up: Hamburg's was all one-touch, precision stuff; Guingamp's saw players continually jogging away to fetch balls accidentally hit out of the square they were trying to play within.It was a good job the fans were in good humour, because Hamburg ripped EAG apart, winning 5-1. You didn't need to be José Mourinho to see that Guingamp's decision to play with a narrow defence, full-backs tucked in to the edge of the penalty area, was unwise against a team with two wingers and a centre-forward who won everything in the air. In fact, you rather got the sense it was not going to be the home side's evening from the warm-up: Hamburg's was all one-touch, precision stuff; Guingamp's saw players continually jogging away to fetch balls accidentally hit out of the square they were trying to play within.
But for the whole 90 minutes, the ultras at one end of the ground kept up their chants, drumbeats and flag waving. No one was shouting and swearing whatever the Breton equivalent of "This is a disgrace!" is. It was magical.But for the whole 90 minutes, the ultras at one end of the ground kept up their chants, drumbeats and flag waving. No one was shouting and swearing whatever the Breton equivalent of "This is a disgrace!" is. It was magical.
We were back a week later to see a derby against Vannes in the league, which Guingamp breezed through 4-0 (we decided against trying to teach the home fans to sing: "My old man said follow the Vannes/And I said …").We were back a week later to see a derby against Vannes in the league, which Guingamp breezed through 4-0 (we decided against trying to teach the home fans to sing: "My old man said follow the Vannes/And I said …").
We were impressed by a Senegalese central midfielder called Mustapha Diallo, who seemed to us every inch a young Patrick Vieira. Less so by a central defender from Burkina Faso called Bakary Koné, who would later play in the Africa Cup of Nations and be linked with Sunderland, making him – by inexorable force of logic – not quite as good as Titus Bramble, though these days Koné is a Champions League player with Lyon. By contrast, Diallo is still at Guingamp. Shows how much we know.We were impressed by a Senegalese central midfielder called Mustapha Diallo, who seemed to us every inch a young Patrick Vieira. Less so by a central defender from Burkina Faso called Bakary Koné, who would later play in the Africa Cup of Nations and be linked with Sunderland, making him – by inexorable force of logic – not quite as good as Titus Bramble, though these days Koné is a Champions League player with Lyon. By contrast, Diallo is still at Guingamp. Shows how much we know.
It turned out EAG have quite the pedigree for turning out quality players. Laurent Koscielny started his professional career there, and Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda and Stéphane Guivarc'h all spent time there on the way to bigger and better things. Our visits to Guingamp never again coincided with a home game – but we've always spent money in the club shop, so we have an assortment of EAG scarves and shirts at home, and the woman behind the counter told us that Drogba, in particular, was a lovely man, always happy to chat to anyone, and a real credit to Guingamp (there's a bar round the corner with an EAG mural outside that features Drogba heavily).It turned out EAG have quite the pedigree for turning out quality players. Laurent Koscielny started his professional career there, and Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda and Stéphane Guivarc'h all spent time there on the way to bigger and better things. Our visits to Guingamp never again coincided with a home game – but we've always spent money in the club shop, so we have an assortment of EAG scarves and shirts at home, and the woman behind the counter told us that Drogba, in particular, was a lovely man, always happy to chat to anyone, and a real credit to Guingamp (there's a bar round the corner with an EAG mural outside that features Drogba heavily).
And yet they remain a tiny club. EAG were founded in 1912, making it to the third division for the first time in 1976, the second division for the first time a year later, and only turning fully professional in 1984. EAG reached Ligue 1 for the first time in 1995 and won the Intertoto Cup in 1996, then reached the French Cup final a year later. They've been in the second division for most of the time since, with the occasional burst into the top tier – apart from a season in the third division in 2010-11 – and are currently fighting to avoid relegation after their first season back in Ligue 1 since 2004. They are 16th, one point and two places clear of the bottom three, though with three games left compared to two for most of their rivals.And yet they remain a tiny club. EAG were founded in 1912, making it to the third division for the first time in 1976, the second division for the first time a year later, and only turning fully professional in 1984. EAG reached Ligue 1 for the first time in 1995 and won the Intertoto Cup in 1996, then reached the French Cup final a year later. They've been in the second division for most of the time since, with the occasional burst into the top tier – apart from a season in the third division in 2010-11 – and are currently fighting to avoid relegation after their first season back in Ligue 1 since 2004. They are 16th, one point and two places clear of the bottom three, though with three games left compared to two for most of their rivals.
To be honest, I'm not convinced they'll manage it. The two away fixtures are at Monaco and Marseille, and the home game is a potentially tricky one against Toulouse. But what's worse is that my holiday for the summer is booked; it's in France and it coincides with the football season. But it's in the south. That said, I know how long it takes to get from where we're staying to Guingamp (about 10 hours' driving), and if they are at home in the Europa League when we're in France … well, God knows I'd be tempted.To be honest, I'm not convinced they'll manage it. The two away fixtures are at Monaco and Marseille, and the home game is a potentially tricky one against Toulouse. But what's worse is that my holiday for the summer is booked; it's in France and it coincides with the football season. But it's in the south. That said, I know how long it takes to get from where we're staying to Guingamp (about 10 hours' driving), and if they are at home in the Europa League when we're in France … well, God knows I'd be tempted.
Allez Guingamp!Allez Guingamp!