FOUR TOGOLESE ON THE BRIDGE
The new season of the French second division football championship is set to kick off this Friday. Only four Togolese international players will be gracing the pitches of this stepping stone to the French elite.
Komlan Amewou, an international midfielder, had been eager to gain more playing time, especially since he felt underappreciated by his former coach, Thierry Froger, with the Togolese national team. The time has finally arrived for him to shine. Nîmes, who is returning from the National league just one season after leaving Ligue 2, is primarily focused on maintaining their position this season. Afterward, they can contemplate a move to Ligue 1. Amewou, who had a solid preseason with his club, hopes to showcase his potential.
Prince Ségbéfia didn’t anticipate becoming a leader at Auxerre when he discovered Ligue 1 at the age of 19. Last year, he only played 14 matches, with over half of them as a substitute. However, sometimes life takes unexpected turns. The club’s relegation to Ligue 2 offers him the chance to gain more playing time and kick-start his career on the European continent.
For the Togolese goalkeeper Baba Tchagouni, another season on the bench seems likely. His chances of experiencing Ligue 2 action are slim. He had the opportunity to prove himself last year during appearances in the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue, but he failed to seize the moment. With Baptiste Reynet as the preferred choice for Olivier Dall’Oglio, Tchagouni is left waiting for his opportunity.
Serge Gakpé hoped to join a Ligue 1 club but, due to a lack of offers, he will embark on another season in Ligue 2 with FC Nantes Atlantiques. His six-month loan to Standard de Liège in 2012 had the potential to open new doors, but the expected offers did not materialize. Gakpé now has a chance to demonstrate that he deserves more than the Saturday matches scheduled at 8:30 p.m. (French time), a schedule that hasn’t been popular among Ligue 2 fans.
Camaldine Abraw, another Togolese player with a club in French Ligue 2, could have been part of this preseason summary. However, his situation is rather perplexing. Struggling to secure a place within the Castelroussin squad, the former Togo U17 international has experienced several loan spells. It seems that this season will be no different, as he continues to search for a destination at a time when Ligue 2 is regaining prominence in French football.
