Foot Mercato: Wasn’t it hard to leave Toulouse, the city where you come from and where you were trained?
Kelvin Amian : no it was not too hard because it was a choice on my part, and on the part of the club too. So let’s say that I was mentally ready to leave my training club.
FM: I imagine that there was all the same frustration to leave on the jump-off lost against Nantes.
K.A : Yes of course. Already when we got down I was in the team (2019-2020 season, editor’s note), it was really a big frustration, and then when there was the possibility of coming back up we failed at the jump-off. It is true that it was once again a big, big frustration. But I am following their results and I hope they will go up.
FM: do you continue to follow what they are doing this season?
K.A : Yes all the time.
FM: in Toulouse, did you know Pascal Dupraz, who was recently appointed coach of Saint-Etienne, is the man for the job for the Greens?
K.A : already we will say that he is used to these situations. As he did very well in Toulouse, he managed to raise the bar, I think he will also do it in Saint-Etienne, knowing that they have a lot of games left.
FM: you joined La Spezia this summer, what are the reasons that pushed you to make this choice?
K.A : from what my agents told me I had no other straightforward proposals. La Spezia had been there since the start of the transfer window, they really showed me that they wanted me. So that was a positive point, especially for me, to go to a club where I could play. And when I saw that they really cared about me, it made me want to join them.
“When Thiago Motta arrived at La Spezia, it made me want to come even more”
FM: did you want to go abroad?
K.A : since I had already played in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, I wanted to discover a new league, a new football culture. There was Italy and I’m very happy to be there.
FM: how did your adaptation go?
K.A : it’s going very, very well. It is a beautiful city, the people are very welcoming. I didn’t speak Italian, well I don’t speak Italian (laughs), but I’m learning and frankly it’s okay, it’s easy to understand. Everything is fine.
FM: did the arrival of French players like Janis Antiste or Aurélien Nguiamba help you?
K.A : yes, I can no longer express myself, let’s say, as we speak the same language. And then I know Janis very well so of course that helps my integration.
FM: at La Spezia you are coached by Thiago Motta, was his presence important in your choice to join the club?
K.A : it was the coach of Fiorentina at the start who was there (Vincenzo Italiano, editor’s note), and when Thiago Motta arrived at La Spezia it made me want to come even more, because I had followed him when he was at PSG with young people. I like his take on football so yes that was a positive point.
FM: what are his ideas for play, what does he ask of you in training or during matches?
K.A : it’s a lot of play with the ball, not to clear. Building the game from behind, he wants us to attack all together. So I can project myself, but we have to defend as a team too. You have to be very clean.
FM: you are a right-back by training, but you have also been used regularly in the axis, especially in a three-way defense, do you have a preference?
K.A : I like, when we play three, to be the right central. I find that this is the position that suits me the best. But I can also play on the right and troubleshoot in the axis, that doesn’t bother me at all.
“In terms of results, it’s true that it’s hard”
FM: are you used in the same way as in Toulouse?
K.A : I have more or less the same role. Now, as it’s Serie A, I have to be more focused on the raises, more focused. It can quickly go in the back and I think that I am evolving in these fields.
FM: do you feel that there is really a project in La Spezia to continue in Serie A, with the club’s takeover last year in particular?
K.A : yes I think La Spezia is doing everything to make the club last in Serie A. Now it’s a club that is being built, but there are a lot of positives for the years to come.
FM: what is your assessment of the start of the season at La Spezia (4 wins in 19 matches two points from the red zone, editor’s note)
K.A : in terms of results, it’s true that it’s hard. But the team did not give up, we are always positive. Sometimes we weren’t lucky too, we had to bring in points and we didn’t. But we stay positive because we have really good matches. Against Milan, against Juventus, against Genoa, we could have brought back points, this little detail was missing. But we are confident, there is no doubt.
FM: on a personal level, you have played 16 games in the league since the start of the season, are you satisfied with your debut?
K.A : yes I am really satisfied with the playing time that I am granted here. For the moment I play my matches, so I hope that it will continue like that to chain them as much as possible.
FM: you signed until 2025, can you see yourself staying at La Spezia for a while?
K.A : frankly, the future will tell. I don’t know at all, but for the moment I am fine here, there is no problem.
FM: have you set personal goals for this season?
K.A : no, I want to give the maximum for the team, that the results arrive and that we can save ourselves very quickly to see if I can score a few goals or make a few assists, but the most important for me is really help the team.
FM: haven’t you scored this season yet?
K.A : no, I missed a lot (laughs).
FM: you played in all the youth teams in the France team, but you also have Ivorian nationality, have you already thought about your answer if Patrice Beaumelle calls you?
K.A : I haven’t thought about it yet. We’ll see if he calls me.
