Yannick Souvré, director of the LFB: “Villeneuve-d’Ascq teaches a great lesson”

“Yannick Souvré, are you surprised to see Villeneuve-d’Ascq reach the Euroleague final, outclassed by Fenerbahçe on Sunday (106-73)?
No, because it’s still sport! We know that French clubs do not benefit from the weight of social charges compared to Spanish, Italian or Turkish clubs but this is proof that, with a homogeneous group, well built over time, young French talents like Janelle Salaün, and a great coach (Rachid Meziane), we can do great things at the highest European level.

Considering recent years, perhaps we were expecting more from Asvel or Bourges, rather than from Guerrières, for example?
Maybe yes. Asvel had built, on paper, a team cut out for the Final Four and Bourges indeed has a great European culture. But as I said, it’s still sport and we can’t be surprised: in team sport, you have to play together, agree to share the ball and defend hard. Rachid Meziane’s players like to defend. Look at Kennedy Burke, she is a double MVP of the French Championship but sometimes we don’t see her because she blends into the group to defend! This is also why we won the Euroleague three times with Bourges (1997, 1998, 2001), because we highlighted the values ​​of self-sacrifice and the collective. It’s a very good lesson that Villeneuve-d’Ascq gives from this point of view.

The last victory of a French club dates back 20 years, and the last title of Valenciennes. What are French clubs missing to return to the European summit, even though Russian clubs, such as Ekaterinburg, are still absent?
They are on the right path. Budgets are increasing and the product is increasingly qualitative because clubs are becoming more structured and professional. I talk about “product” even if it sometimes has a pejorative aspect, but the LFB must sell itself like this: with an ever higher level of requirement. We have the ambition to be part of the best professional leagues in the world and the objective is even to become the first in Europe and the second behind the WNBA, which benefits from the financial power of the NBA. We are working for it, the media coverage is progressing, an anthem has been created and even won a prize (Top/Com), a match protocol has been established… And when I read what Shavonte Zellous says in L’Équipe on Sunday

, I am very proud of it. To achieve this objective, we need strong and homogeneous clubs. This is the most difficult challenge. A Czech-style Championship where Prague dominates is not of much interest. Afterwards, it is a long-term job that the Federation, League and clubs must carry out together, even if, sometimes, it is complicated.

“It’s the Women’s League that allowed us to go so high, that prepared us for all these fights. This Championship has potential. I hope Villeneuve will be a source of inspiration,” said the American full-back in L’Équipe on Sunday.