World Soccer - UK (2022-07)

FRANCE

Camaraand JeremieAliadiere.
“Wehavebetween1, 000 to1, 200
youngplayersfromColombesand
theHauts-de-Seinedepartment,”
Norbert Seniorexplains.“Currently,
theIle-de-Franceregionandthe
SaoPaulosuburbinBrazilarethe
twoplacesthatproducethe largest
numberofprofessionalfootball
playersintheworld.”
Aliadiere,whowentontoforge
a successfulcareeratArsenaland
Middlesbrough,hasfamilylinkswith
Racing.Bothhis fatheranduncles
played fortheclub’sbasketball section,
wherehisgrandfatherwas a coach.The
youngJeremieattendedthe prestigious
Clairefontainefootball academyand
played forRacing’sjuniorsidesat the
weekend.
“IamreallyhappythatRacinghave
gainedpromotionandIlookforward
toseeinghowhightheycango,” the
39-year-oldsays.“I do thinkthatthey
willneedfinancialhelpalongtheway
toget backtowhere they belong.For
a citylikeParistohaveonlyonetop
clubisnotenough– lookatit

25,0 00 capacity,aswellasfivesynthetic

pitchesfortheacademy.

“Thestadiumwillbedeliveredtous

immediatelyafterthe 2024 Olympics,”

presidentNorbert explains.“Racing

havea dutytoregainthestatusofa

greatteaminFrenchfootball. We are

speakingandlookingfor a solidand

exclusivepartnershipwithamajor

Europeanclub.Itistheonlywayfor us to

keepourbest playersuntilthe ageof 18 ,

whilewaitingtohaveourown academy.

“Wefavoura partnershipwith

anEnglishclubbecausetheyhave

implementedstrictrulesregardingthe

recruitmentofyoungtalents on itssoil.

Itprohibitsthemfromconcludingany

transferbeforeplayersturn 1 8.Thisway,

youngplayerswouldhavemore timeto

learnandtoadaptthemselvestotheir

futureclub.”

Inthe 2 02 1-2 022 campaign,Racing

facedPSG’s B teaminthe Championnat

National3.But in afewyears’time– and

witha littleluckand more investment

alongthe way– they maywellbedining

againatFrance’stoptableandbattling

theseniorPSG teamoncemore.

comparedtoLondon, wherethereare

manytopclubs.”

Anotherpositive is thatthe club’s

StadeYves-Du-Manoirground is

currently undergoingmajorwork.

TheHauts-de-Seinedepartment

isinvestingnearly€ 10 0 millionin

a bidtomodernisethe area ahead

ofthe 2 02 4 OlympicGames.

Andtherewillbe a newEnglish-

stylestadiumwith 10 ,000seats –

whichRacingwill occupy– with

plansafoottoexpandittoa

WORLDSOCCER 29

Startingout...

DavidGinolajoined

Racingin 1988

Racinggraduate

...StevenNzonzi