From Claix, via Germany to Paris FC since last season, Marina Makanza has known several clubs but especially several gaming systems. The Parisian who went through the France A team and the young selections by winning in particular the European Championship in 2010, has confided on certain stages of his career. She was interviewed to discuss her rich football experience and the upcoming game at Stade Charlety against her former club Montpellier HSC.

Hearts of Foot - I saw that you were born in La Tronche, near Grenoble, so you're not at all a Parisian at heart? It's a little more cool in the South, it's an atmosphere, a different atmosphere compared to Paris?
Marina Makanza - (thinks) No ... Grenobloise (smile). It's not too South, Grenoble? Yes, yes if we split France in two, it's in the South. We will say that it is a little cooler than in the Paris region.


Football Hearts - How is your adaptation going since last season at Paris FC?
M. - After Montpellier, I went to Germany to Potsdam and I had signed two years, but I only stayed 6 months, it had gone badly. After that I returned to France, I went to Nîmes and then I arrived at the PFC (ex-Juvisy). It was a little complicated [to adapt] at first because I had some problems, I was not in good shape at the time. I played more in the second half of the season. There I returned determined to the preparation of this summer and it goes well with the new coach, the girls, the staff ... We work well and that's it, I do not know if that's enough for you? (Laughter)


Soccer Hearts - It was complicated at the beginning of the season last year for you to adapt to a style of play totally different from what you had known before?
M.M. - No no it was not that. In fact between Potsdam and Nîmes, I was often injured and I went to seek treatment in France and when I came back, they did not understand my choice, it was a problem and it has created confusion. After that I went back to Nîmes, but for three months I was no longer playing football and so I gained weight. When I signed at Paris FC (ex-Juvisy) I still had some extra pounds, so I was just slamming. I had to lose weight and without lying to you, I had to take three months to get there. That's why I only played the second half of the season. I was coming back [from my re-training], I was playing in reserve too, I was doing the training. "I came back" in quotation marks to my top level actually.


Football Hearts - It's important to say it and come back to it, because I did not understand from my side, after you went through Germany, that you're not on the front of the stage we'll say . You are expected to be at the top level from the start.
M.M. - Yes, that's it, everyone expects me to be "at the top level", while not at all. It was bad in Potsdam, even in my head it was not going at all at this time ...


Hearts of Football - But why was it difficult to move to Potsdam? This is the language, the style of play ... How is it in Germany, because we do not really look at this championship at the level of a player, except Elise Bussaglia (FC Barcelona since this season 2017 / 2018).
M.M. - In fact, I explain to you, I had played in Friborg before signing in Montpellier, where I stayed three seasons and it had gone very well. It was south of Germany, so it was cool, the girls were great, they were young, it was good fun etc. After my last season in Montpellier, the coach told me he did not count too much on me and that if I had the opportunity to go elsewhere in a good club, that he would let me go, that there was no problem. With my agent (Sonia Souid) we looked a bit and there was Potsdam. So I went and I think I stayed two weeks, the coach remembered me when I played in Freiburg, he liked my profile. I made the start of the preparation and at that moment, they made me a contract. I was happy so at first it was going well. But after I had injuries, and we were not in the same "system" of health, it is not at all like in France. Basically, he did not really want to take care of me so at the winter break I went back to the South, I launched a physio club (Montpellier) and who had me treated. At that moment, I decided to cut with football, and really treat myself well because I knew that in Potsdam they would make me resume matches and everything directly. For them, my wound was nothing. And when I came back to Germany, that's where the trouble was and it broke. They said that I did not come back for the recovery, while I was just getting better and better. So I went to Nîmes (in D1 at that time), even if it was complicated in terms of points and maintenance for the team. After there was Juvisy (Paris FC since 2017) and I did not believe in it.

Football Hearts - It feels like you're outside - without being derogatory - that you have a hard time getting to know each other. For me Paris FC is the only club I find, where players are pros it's obvious in their head, but where you have trouble communicating together. How do you feel on your side? That's what I noticed in any case, last season on my side. That is, you do not look hard enough, you do not communicate well enough and you are in your bubbles, but it is not collective. I think it changed slightly there, but it still stuck a little. Can this explain some of the difficulties of building your game in a match? Not enough initiative?
MM - (she has trouble understanding my criticism) I tell you from the inside ... After if you came last season, it was not going well, we did not have a great season so we had a little head under the water. But this year, the group lives well, it's going really well.
I think that since the beginning of the year, we have made good matches, except Lyon but Marseille, Fleury ... we were there on the ground. This year we are really solidarity, we go in the same direction and it feels, everyone helps each other. After everyone to his personality, it's like in all the teams, I made several clubs. But otherwise the team feels good today, everyone is concerned. When you see the starting lineup on our first 6 games, we have never had the same so everyone feels involved. With our staff, Pascal [Gouzenes] can make several changes and I think there is healthy competition so I think it's good.


"It's the logical continuation of the merger with the boys of the club"


Football Hearts - What does it mean for you this game against Montpellier, one of your former clubs and for the first time if I'm not mistaken, at Stade Charlety for you?
M.M. - I had played at PSG / Montpellier at Stade Charlety, because they were playing girls there at the time (now they are at Camp des Loges). If not with Paris FC, this is the first game, it is the logical continuation of the merger with the boys of the club. There we will be more in the enclosure of the boys we will say, so I find it great to play and develop the women's section more about Paris. Because for now we play more at Bondoufle.
Compared to playing against Montpellier, it's always something to face these former teammates, his old club, it will be nice. But I'm 300% with Paris FC (laughs), I'm really with the team but it's always something to play a poster against his old club. In addition if I say no nonsense, this is the first time I will play against them since I left the club.


Football Hearts - How do you go from one club to another? Is it lassitude, the search for renewal, not enough play time, a bad adaptation? You told me a little earlier (some injuries) but there are no other things too? How do you explain having made several clubs in your career, that you started there is a little more than fifteen years now?
M.M. - Since the beginning of my career or? Compared to my time at SC Freiburg, we had made the U20 World Cup in Germany. At that time I was in Saint-Etienne and they came to my house to offer me to come to their club. But after a few months there was still nothing. My dad had to take a second job to pay for my apartment there. Right after there was an agent who contacted me and he told me that my profile could please in Germany, there was contact with Friborg. At first I just had to see the club facilities, but I did not go back, I signed a three-year contract. It was facts exactly lives and the desire to see other things, because I am a little adventurous in the soul, I like to know new experiences. In addition it could relieve my parents, so I was happy. And then Germany was really happy to go, because it was a great adventure to live. But I missed France, my family, so I wanted to come back and I went to Montpellier. When I was in Friborg, it was also the moment when I started to be in the French team, Bruno Bini often called me to be in the squad. And with the MHSC as soon as I arrived, it was going really well. During the first year and a half we will say, I played, I went in selection. After it started to get complicated and that's why I had a good release. So we had to bounce back and I went [again] to Germany, as it had been good the first time, and that Potsdam is a big club anyway, if you can play in this team is very Well, as they won the Champions League, there is a certain requirement. Bernd Schröder was also a great coach, so everything was together for me to try. Unfortunately it ended badly but the first four months was great.

Football Hearts - I understand better now because it was hard to know why you were making so many changes and why we had so little feedback on that time.
M.M. - Yes I admit but from the outside it's true that you have to say to yourself, "but she has what to move every year and a half" (smile). But in fact it was mostly facts of life ...


Hearts of Foot - Because we feel that you have a big character, even if you also feel a lot of kindness, but it is a strength because you have a taste for risk. It's not easy to go and try to play in another country.
MR - Big character, no (wide smile) I'm normal, I know what I want and I do it.


Football Hearts - So to go back to your weekend meeting. Charlety is often a stadium criticized in relation to its construction with the track of athlete. How are you preparing to play this match against Montpellier with supporters of Paris FC who may be recalcitrant to come?
M. - We prepare the match like all the other matches as if we were going to play Bondoufle, even if we will be in Paris. But we hope that there will be people because I think Paris FC / Montpellier is a beautiful poster of D1 Feminine. In addition it is the school holidays so anyone who wants to discover women's football should come. Paris FC / PSG it had been a good match already I think, there was a show. We had the equalizer with Camille Catala, but was denied for a non-existent offside.


"It's true that in Germany the supporters are closer"


Hearts of Football - According to you it is still a stadium that must be modified to bring fans closer to you, as can be seen in Germany or the United States especially where fans are sometimes to one meter of the players?
M.M. - Yes it is true that in Germany the supporters are closer. When I played Bayern or Wolfsburg, we felt the fans around. But Charlety is a beautiful stadium, there's a beautiful lawn, there's room, although it's quite difficult to complete, I grant you.


Football Hearts - Do not you think that you have to bring the fans closer to you in this case? Find a system. Limit of placing them on the athletic track.
M.M. - Yes I think it's a good idea, after I do not really know if it's feasible.


Hearts of Foot - To return once again to your passage in Germany, because it is rare that there are players of the A who go there. How could you sum up your passage across the Rhine? What did you learn from this period of three years / four and a half years?
M.M. - Yes it is true that there are not many French internationals who will play abroad. Now there was Elise [Bussaglia] and Amandine Henry in the States (USA).
Of the two passages? I tell myself that we only live once and that it is good to go on an adventure. I was 18/19 when I was in Saint-Etienne and I went to Friborg. You have your own apartment, you learn the language, another football, it was great.
Yes, frankly it was a beautiful experience. The first as I told you it was great, the second a little less but I regret nothing. It strengthened me. The trials of life reinforce that it is positive or negative. I know the mistakes to no longer make. I learned a lot about myself. Frankly it helps.

Hearts of Football - To evoke of the team of France precisely. Are you trying to switch this experience that you acquired on the young Paris FC can be Mathilde Bourdieu, Clara Mateo and co?
M.M. - Sometimes we give ourselves little advice on the level of calls, replacements etc. we exchange. But after I'm not there, "you have to do this or do it", I'm not like that.


Football Hearts - But then do you think that going to Germany did not keep you from the French team? Could not you go to another club in France? It remains one of your goals to return to selection?
M.M. - At the time when I was in Montpellier and that I had the good of exit, I did not play too much so I did not go any more in team of France. From there to know if the staff of the selection saw me in Potsdam, I do not know at all. I do not know so I can not tell you.
In fact I did not want to leave [Montpellier] to leave. And then Potsdam I took it as a challenge.
Objective, objective ... (she thinks) Yes everybody wants to go in France team. There's competition, but yes it's a goal in the back of my mind. Now I focus on Paris FC, I take what is to take, I make my matches. There's only work that pays.


"I did not even know if I would ever play again"


Football Hearts - Today at your club or selection there is a lot of competition as you told me, you know that you have to be decisive in club especially to be able to hope for the selection?
M. - (repeats) There is a lot, a lot of competition, so ... but hey. No need to continue working, play, hang on. I know I was there. After I do not know. The breeder, I do not even know if we say "selector" (laughs) ... I do not mind more than that. Already for me to come back, and play is fun. Against PSG, I played I believe 75/70 minutes. To have fun on the field, there is a year and a half I was far from that, I had 10 kg more, I was doing hurt myself and I did not even know if I was going to replay one day. Little by little, I try to find my form, must not burn the steps. There I am just starting to come back so I have to continue working.


"I'm attacking so that's what we look at [my stats]"


Football Hearts - But what could you get out of your game or your personality to impose on you?
M.M. - My stats I think, because since the beginning of my career I have been doing good matches. I am an attacker so that's what we look at [my stats]. I'm more in percussion, dribbling, all that, the last gesture we'll say.


Football Hearts - You have a lot of experience in football, with some young selections, a title of U19 European Champion among others in 2010 (Cyprus in 2012 with the A, the only international title of the French team in a official competition). How would you describe your career today?
M.M. - Yes at the time (she laughs) [I was U19 champion]. Already I'm glad it's not over [my career] because honestly with all the glitches I had last year, I could have dropped football. I could have given up. I fought and I'm happy to have done it, to have continued to fight to play football. I thank the President of Juvisy, Marie Terroni, who trusted me, like the players, the staff who helped me back and my agent Sonia Souid, like Patrick Esteves. My career has been ups and downs.


Football Hearts - And how would you describe the women's section of Paris FC now? How do you feel in Paris?
M.M. - Paris FC is us, it's us now. The merger has just been done so we take the time to get to know each other with the men's section, so for now it's going well. There we will play Charlety this weekend. There is a good atmosphere, we will sometimes see the boys when they play Charlety. It's the beginning with the boys, so you have to give time to the weather, but I think it's a good sign.
I like Parisian life.


Hearts of Foot - Thank you Marina for the interview.
M.M. - Frankly, it's nice of you because I was able to tell why I left [Potsdam]. There are many people who ask themselves the question, but I never had the opportunity to explain my choice, the path of my career so now I said it once and for all.


Photo: Nelson Fatagraf