INTERVIEW: I like new challenges

“This all happened quite quickly, to be fair,” he said. “It’s a move I wanted so I’m happy and pleased to be here.

“I’m French but I have heard about Carlisle United for a long time before I came over here. I knew it was a big club so when the opportunity came for me to move here I thought ‘why not, it’s a new challenge for me’ so here I am. It was hard when I first came over to England from France because I couldn’t speak English. The football here is different as well. There is more running and hard work here, and I still feel I’m catching up with it a little bit. I’m getting used to it though. 

“We had been talking for a long time about me coming here and the idea I had in my mind was that this was always my first choice. There were other offers but this is where I wanted to be. The length of the deal gives me more focus because it means I have to perform well. Hopefully I can do that. I loved the feeling I had with the fans at Rochdale and I’m hoping for the same here.”

“It doesn’t worry me that Carlisle is a League Two club,” he added. “It’s a nice place and it looks like a family club. The only thing I need is to be playing football. The manager asked me if that was what I wanted to do and the answer from me is yes. 

“He talked to me about what he wants and he said he is looking for this club to go up. I see it as a big challenge because I’ve just been in League One and I would love to go back there. It’s a step I’m taking to get more games and, as I say, to play football. That is my aim.”

“It’s good that pre-season starts almost as soon as I’ve signed,” he agreed. “I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and to getting ready to play. I don’t feel nervous at all because I like new challenges. I like change and I like to refresh myself. That is what this move will give me.

“I think the way to describe me as a player is that I like to show skills. I like to play with the ball and I like to be involved. The manager has told me he wants to see the best season from me. He said ‘I want to see the best of your life.’ I’m determined to do that for him.

“I can play anywhere in midfield but I love being an attacking midfielder. I want to score goals and help with assists. But, if I’m asked to play as a holding midfielder I can do that as well.”

And on the possibility of changing his hair colour to blue, he said: “No, I don’t think so. I’ve only just changed it from blonde so I think this will be it for a while. Maybe next year ... who knows?

“For me, we’re too young to have basic hair colours so I like to try different things. I might not have any hair at all in ten year’s time and I won’t be able to do it! That’s why I do it now.”