Trained at AS Monaco and French Ligue 2 champion in 2013 under the orders of Claudio Ranieri, Tristan Dingomé agreed to talk about his memories on the Rock before the Rouge et Blanc match against Reims, another of his former clubs, this Sunday (3 p.m.).

He grew up on the Rock. As a player and as a man. Arrived in Monaco in 2006 from Palaiseau (Essonne) when he was only 15 years old, Tristan Dingomé completed his training there and started working for professionals, before leaving in 2014. From his difficulties in complying with the requirement of a major club for the title of Ligue 2 champion won in 2013 under the orders of Claudio Ranieri, through his friendship with Valère Germain or the recognition he owes to Frédéric Barilaro, the current player from Troyes returns with frankness and pleasure in his Monegasque years.

What memories do you keep of your arrival at the AS Monaco training center?

I really have great memories of it, especially since it was a decision on my part to join AS Monaco because at the time I was lucky to have the choice. I came with my parents a weekend to discover the environment and it matched immediately. Everything had gone very well.

Who were your friends at the center at the time?

I kept in touch with Dennis Appiah and Valère Germain, because we liked each other a lot and since going to the training center we have become close friends. Among those who remained in the “circuit”, there was also Kévin Malcuit (today in Naples, editor’s note). With Valère, we are only a year apart so we often trained together and we rubbed shoulders in everyday life, even if we did not often play at the same time in matches during our training. because I didn’t play a lot at the time.

Which educators have particularly marked you during your stay at the Club?

At the beginning it was a bit complicated for me because adapting to the requirements of a professional club was delicate, so I didn’t play much at the time. It was necessary that a click arrives, through the intermediary of Frédéric Barilaro. This is the person who completely changed me and who made me here today. I did not do a pre-training center, I came from my little club in 91, so the requirement and the rigor of the high level were complicated for me and I even wanted to quit. He knew how to find the words and above all succeeded in placing me in a new position. When Layvin Kurzawa started moving up from the CFA to the pros, Fred had the idea to put me back on the left side so that I could have the game in front of me and toughen up by constantly being in the duel. It did me a lot of good and it was from that season that I started to take pleasure in making efforts and going “charcoal”. This is where the trigger came and everything was much simpler.

You were launched among professionals in 2011 by Marco Simone. What memories do you keep from your beginnings?

The memory of my first match is a little mixed because we took four at Guingamp (4-0 defeat), but my first steps in pro went really well because we were a lot of young people and we “ really liked it. Especially since Fred Barilaro was Marco Simone’s assistant and he made the link between the training and the pros. He helped us a lot, we talked a lot, we took under his wing and it did us a lot of good. In addition, we rubbed shoulders with extraordinary players, so I have great memories of it.

Then Claudio Ranieri, a size, arrives on the bench of the Club. How did you react to his appointment?

I learned that he would be our trainer when I was in a rehabilitation center after an operation. I was super excited, like everyone else, but at the same time a little reserved in the sense that I had a pretty cold image of him. I was waiting to see and finally, as soon as I got back in the group, it was awesome. He immediately put us at ease and he was the first to laugh, even if there had been rigor in the work. The man was really great and I was lucky to have a special relationship with him, he appreciated me very much. It was a super cool time for me.

How would you describe this relationship you had with him?

I felt a bit privileged because he talked to me a lot and trusted me a lot, so I had a lot of freedom on the pitch. For a young player, I think that’s the best that can happen. It did me a lot of good and allowed me to gain a lot of experience and pleasure. When we met again later with other clubs, we always kept this link and we always discussed after the matches. He is a great man, whom I hold in high esteem.

What memories do you keep of the uphill season?

It was great ! Personally, I haven’t played as many games as I would have liked because I missed a few games at the start of the season due to an operation, and I also have a bitter memory of a Cup match. France during which I was expelled and which caused me to miss four games for suspension. So, as the team was playing well during that time, it was a bit complicated to replay. But the otherwise great season, it was my first major trophy and I could say that I had to hand over to Monaco in Ligue 1, really a source of pride. Winning a trophy with your training club, there is nothing better.

And the party that followed, was it memorable?

I don’t have a crisp anecdote about the festivities (smile), but I was very surprised, in a good way, by the fervor of the people and our supporters. Seeing their happiness and their smile after this climb, as well as the gratitude they had towards us, made me realize that something great had been done.

You played almost 50 games with Monaco, but unfortunately none in Ligue 1. Is that still a little regret?

Yes, it’s a little regret because when you go up to Ligue 1, it’s me who asks to be loaned, which will ultimately be the case in Le Havre. During the preparation, I asked the coach to let me go on loan and he didn’t necessarily agree. We talked a lot of times, he told me that there would be a lot of competition with the arrival of the great players. The coach assured me that I will be in the rotation and that I will play matches, but I was a little sure of myself and I really wanted to do a full season in Ligue 2 to harden myself and come back even stronger. year after. Suddenly, it’s a cede. My loan to Le Havre went well but, when I came back, Claudio Ranieri and it was more complicated for me then. So when I think back to that time, I have a little bit of regret and I think to myself that maybe I should have listened to it. But it happened like that, it’s football …

This weekend, Monaco faces Reims, another of your former clubs (2018-2020). Can you give us a little prognosis?

I remain a fervent supporter of AS Monaco, since I was a teenager, so inevitably I will hope for a Monaco victory. Come on, I’ll say a little 3-1!