Basket. “Big defender and big temperament”: Rida El Amrani arrives in Caen
Through Aline Chatel
Published on
Rida El Amrani played many matches during his long professional career, renewed 18 years ago at Vichy, but he had never set foot on the Palais des Sports floor before this Wednesday, January 18, 2023. “It is one of the rare rooms where I have not played in France”, he remarks at the edge of the field. Arrive at Caen at noon, the new CBC playmaker or fullback was playing his first practice a few hours later. The session scheduled for the morning had been rescheduled at 6:30 p.m.
Not a freelancer, a rookie for the season
At 36, Rida El Amrani has enough of a bottle to quickly blend into the background. Nevertheless, arriving at a new club in the middle of January is not trivial. “We would all like to arrive before to better integrate, but we try to do the best, testifies the player with a long experience in Pro B and National 1. It’s complicated to bring right away. I have to be able to get back into rhythm physically. The goal is to build up gradually. I’m not young anymore! »
The recruitment of Rida El Amrani is a response to the injury of Yanik Blanc, but not only. The player signed up until the end of the season, which was a key point for him. “Yanik’s absence showed us that we could be in trouble on position 1, believes his trainer Stéphane Eberlin. We could not afford, in the second phase and in the play-offs, to have a problem at this level. It was too dangerous to go to the second phase, where the matches are very condensed, with a sword of Damocles above our leaders. »
“He will do everything for the team to win”
If Rida El Amrani arrives in unknown territory, he has however found familiar faces there. “The advantage is that I know about half of the team. I played with Parfait (Njiba), Demond (Watt), Moïse (Diamé), Carl (Ona Embo). The others, except Lucas (Veraghe), I have already played against them. It will facilitate the integration. »
In Normandy, the playmaker stayed in Vichy for a long time and is expected in a very collective register. “He’s a coach player, explains Stéphane Eberlin. He will do everything for the team to win. He doesn’t care to put points. He will be at the service of the team. He’s a big defender and a big temper. The interested party also sees himself as an “organizer”, unconcerned with his figures.
I never looked at my stats much. It’s always more rewarding to play on a winning team than to make big stats on a losing team. I’m here to help the team, to breathe Carl (Ona Embo) and bring in all the compartments of the game.
In Vitré last season, Rida El Amrani was shooting 6.1 points and 5.1 assists per game. his departure, he Since was without a club. “I had a few offers but it wasn’t very interesting. I preferred to wait. It’s better to play in Caen, in an ambitious club with good facilities, than in a smaller club. »
Patience required
Humble, the native of Vichy does not announce mountains and wonders. “It will be complicated at the beginning, we must not hide it. I need to fit in, to take the time to be part of the team. It’s up to me to level up. Rida El Amrani believes that it will take a little patience with him. “At first, it won’t be perfect. But if we can help the team, so much the better. »
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