Leeds’ French connection can bring glory in two sports, says Mickael Goudemand
MICKAEL Goudemand hopes Leeds' sporting entente cordiale can propel the city to glory in two sports.
The Rhinos' French forward has compatriot Justin Sangare alongside him while across town at Elland Road Illan Meslier and Georginio Rutter are stars.
Having a familiar tongue has helped him settle into life in West Yorkshire after moving from Catalans Dragons.
And that can help him show why Leeds signed him, while a similar accent aims for the Premier League.
“It’s good to see the French doing well in Leeds,” said Goudemand.
“I watched Leeds when they were in the Premier League and Marcelo Bielsa was coach.
“I’m a big Marseille fan and he was there. He was a big character for Leeds – which was the same as at Marseille. The respect for him there is the same as it is in Leeds.
“But knowing there are two French players at Leeds United is very good for my country. Sometimes if you have the challenge of living in another country, you can achieve big things.
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“And having Justin at the Rhinos is great for me. Him and I speak French to each other every day in the dressing room and even out on the field.”
Goudemand may have settled into Leeds easily - once driving on the other side of the road was overcome - but he is missing two parts of his life.
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His sausage dogs Moli and Zoe who have had to stay with his parents in Avignon.
But his partner Louisa is arguably feeling it more.
He added: “Bringing dogs over to the UK is difficult and they’re forbidden from our apartment. I’m missing them more than anything my partner especially as they’re like daughters to us.
“I know they’re in good hands but we can’t wait to have them with us. Every day, I receive a video of them from my parents.
“It was a big change - we needed to leave our family, our friends and our dogs, so it was a big move.
“However, the club has tried everything it can to help us settle well. They’ve found us a flat, a car, everything – we’re feeling very good now.
“I’m driving OK now but the first week was hard for me. I was probably a bit dangerous on the road, roundabouts, little streets, in Leeds sometimes there are four lanes.
“I used to live in a small village!”
Today sees Goudemand come up against some old friends as Leeds face Catalans, who have more similarities than you may think.
For players of both sides are not just representing a club, they are carrying the name of the area around them.
“As soon as I moved, I looked for when we’d play the Dragons as I knew it would be a big game,” the 27-year-old told SunSport.
“Playing for Catalans is big as a lot of people in that area don’t really consider themselves as French. They’re Catalan.
“At the Dragons, there’s only one national anthem played before games – the Catalan one – and we had to sing it when we had meetings with its owner Bernard Guasch.
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“For them, it’s very important to learn it – you have to buy into the Catalan culture and understand what it means to them.
“If you respect their identity, they like that and there are similarities to Leeds too. The supporters here really want to back the team and show them how much they follow them. I can really feel that.”