Jean-Pierre Nsame about his new role as a noble reservist of the YB: “There are players who get less chance than me”

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At the start of the season, YB’s focus was clearly on the Champions League. They really wanted to go there and that’s why the two play-off games against Maccabi Haifa were a priority. And once that was over, the first two group matches against RB Leipzig and Red Star Belgrade also followed. Because they showed where Group G could go.

Siding and winter transfer?

So four games. And Jean-Pierre Nsame (30) is on the bench four times. Nsame, the club legend, five-time champion and third best goal scorer in YB history behind Geni Meier and Ernst Wechselberger with 135 goals. No appearance in the second leg against Maccabi and in Belgrade. Only 20 minutes in Haifa and 5 (!) against RB. And also in Zurich against the rankings, the top scorer languished on the bench until the final whistle.

The first polemic arises. There is already talk of siding and winter transfer. Not at Blik. If you look closely, you will see that Nsame was in the starting line-up for the first two games of the season, as well as in the last two top-flight battles against St. Gallen and Lugano.

The rush hour around Meschack Elia

Not surprisingly, coach Raphael Wicky keeps the ball at grass level. So bluntly: “None of us sidelined him. I’ve heard that a few times now from you, not from the club side. I have five very good attackers in Nsame, Itten, Elia and Ganvoula, as well as Monteiro, who comes more from the side. This is a team within a team that pushes each other. The fact that Jean-Pierre has not played two games does not mean he is on the sidelines. He has his minutes. He shows that he is also there in training and that he is a top striker. I then choose a correct nine around Meschack Elia. It’s not always easy, but they all accept it.”

Cedric Itten is also in top form, who was anything but a joker against Basel…

“You have to ask the trainer about everything else…”

The two friends Itten and Nsame are in a very good mood after the 3-0 win against Basel. The French-Cameroonian emphasizes that it was much more important to have won and sent a message than to score again. «The coach makes decisions. I respect her. My role is to always keep working. And if I get minutes, I have to keep everyone happy.” It is important to have two attackers in Carlo and him who can score. But not alone. “It is also important what else we give to the team in the match. They can count on us.”

Mentally, there is nothing special about sitting on the couch so often. «I am the type of person who always remains calm and positive. I talk a lot with people close to me and we exchange ideas regularly. Of course it’s not always easy. But my situation is no worse than that of other players. I say to myself: ‘There are people who have less chance than me.’ I encourage the others, that is what the coach expects from me, that I help them to prepare for the match as best as possible. And when I get minutes, I try to repay the trust. Everything else you have to ask the coach.”

Racioppi remains number one under observation

So subject settled. And also that about Anthony Racioppi after the two goats in the two Champions League matches. With the Geneva player’s performance against Basel, Wicky clearly showed that he did not want to compromise his number one status. Racioppi had virtually nothing to do against FCB. But he remains a goalkeeper under closer scrutiny.

Source : Blick