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13 May 2018
Focus on... Jules Koundé, the Bordeaux satisfaction
The Toulon Tournament is fast approaching. To wait patiently until the beginning of the 46th edition of the competition (from 26th May to 9th June), let’s take a look at the players who could shine during the Maurice Revello Tournament 2018. Today, we talk about Jules Koundé, the Bordeaux French defender.
He has been one of the rare satisfactions of a moribund season in Gironde. At 19 years-old, Jules Koundé quickly became one of the players of the year in Bordeaux, thanks to his freshness and his talent. If the Girondins, 7th on the Ligue 1 table, are still running for an European qualification before the last game on the next week-end, they didn't have a peaceful and calm season.
But, if they still can hope to steal the 6th spot to Nice, qualifying for the Europa League, they can thank their young centre-back. Jules Koundé is a pure product of the Bordeaux academy. Between 2015 and January 2018, he played nearly thirty games with U19 and U23 Girondins squads and showed some impressive technical abilities.
This talent was quickly noted by the club's directors. In October 2017, he signed his first four-year professional contract. Despite that, he had to wait until Juanuary to finally make his debuts. The 13rd January, Jocelyn Gourvennec decided to launch his player in Troyes. After a solid and diligent display, Koundé succeeded his first appearance and showed an interesting potential. Bordeaux won 1-0 and from this victory, the defender never went out of the group.
Even when Gourvennec was fired and Gustavo Poyet arrived to replace him on the bench, Koundé did a series of seven starts in a row in Ligue 1 from January to March. "I am impressed, said about him the Uruguayen coach. He entered in the group during a very complicated situation and when you see him, you can't say he is only 19 years old, it's incredible. I said it, I don't look at the age. For me, it's the same if he is 17, 18 our 34 years old. He has to go on".
All those compliments resonated with Bordeaux fans, who love him, and Philippe Montanier, U20 France head coach. The former Rennes boss gave him his first call-up on mid-March against United States (2-0).
He also can be a goal scorer, as he netted twice against Amiens on February (3-2) and Saint-Etienne recently (3-1). "From December to January, he had a trigger, added Poyet in an interview for the French newspapers Sud-Ouest. He reached another level that he shows in game. This is not possible to replace him. He also gives us the possibility to play in different ways. And he as a huge room for improvement. He is 19 years old, the experience will allow him to improve on some situations". Koundé could have the opportunity to follow his improvement during the Maurice Revello Tournament in June with U20 France squad.
Mathieu Lauricella
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