The seasons pass but, firmly riveted on the walls of the clubhouse, the trophies remain.
Under their glass frame, the prestigious jerseys of former Ulis kids do not fade, whether they have become stars or episodic pros.
A Barça jersey worn by Thierry Henry, another from Juventus coming from Patrice Evra, that of Manchester United sold by Anthony Martial… But also tunics from AS Monaco, FC Nantes, SCO Angers or Stade Lavallois…
“Training players is still our identity, and if possible great ones like Henry, Evra or Martial, assures Mahamadou Niakaté, 43, the technical director of CO Les Ulis and coach of the first team.
Besides, we have kids who are currently in a training center, ”adds Niakaté, who is just finishing an appointment with the mother of Khalil Kie, 14, who has just joined the Stade de Reims.
Like before him Solo Bidanessy, 18, in Montpellier or Bonata Traoré, 19, in Toulouse.
[⚽️ #CoupedeFrance 🏆] 7th round of the French Cup 🇫🇷 @c_o_ulis FOOTBALL 🆚 Paris FC
📆 See you this Saturday at 2 p.m. at the 🏟 Jean-Marc Salinier
stadium 🎫 Ticket office on site:
€5 in the stands and €3 in the tower stadium 🙂#LesUlis pic.twitter.com/HdgalOVfUL
- City of Ulis (@LesUlisOfficiel) October 25, 2022
“We hope to continue to bring out young talents but we are not selling dreams to kids, continues Niakaté, whose club, 1,000 members, has some 600 young people.
Only quality in the work of educators and follow-up on the school level.
We don't tell them that we are going to make them pros.
Not everyone will join a training center but in the 12 and 13 year old categories, there is at least one kid with the potential and the profile.
Here, we are in pure football:
Have fun, have fun!
And if something happens, so much the better.
But above all, be proud to wear the Ulis jersey, given the players who have worn it…
”
"Martial often goes to see the youth teams play"
In Les Ulis, despite the years, there remains a bit of the microclimate at the origin of the outbreak of Henry, Evra, Martial.
"Here, it's a small neighborhood of 24,000 inhabitants," explains Niakaté.
At the time, for these boys, there was only one place, the stadium, to protect themselves from bullshit.
If their ties are here, it's because they only know this place after all.
Martial was born in Massy, he did all his licenses in Ulis and then he went to Lyon.
Today when he returns to France, where do you want him to go?
»
Read alsoDes Ulis in Manchester, the great leap of Willy Kambwala
The great elders have thus remained rather faithful to the club of their childhood.
"We are still in contact with them, especially with Anthony Martial who often visits to see the youth teams play," said Niakaté.
It gives them an extra pep.
Evra, whose mother lives nearby, also drops by whenever he has time.
For Thierry Henry, it's a little different.
He really left super early.
Your friends from your 10-11 years are no longer those of today.
Evra and Henry are not the same age as Martial, nor the same life.
Martial has his parents next door in 91, while Evra has a family, lives abroad and works with foreign television.
But at Martial's age, Evra passed regularly.
He really put the spotlight on the club when he started winning trophies with Manchester United.
He breathed life into the club.
»
Transfer money invested in minibuses and equipment
As for the fortunes that the latter would have brought to the Essonne club, in the form of a percentage on their various transfers to the training club, this is an urban legend.
"We didn't have that much," says Niakaté.
Henry left Les Ulis before he was 12.
Evra gave us the 2010 World Cup bonus (25,000 euros) and then we received training compensation from his transfer from Monaco to MU (2006), i.e. 38,000 euros.
For Martial, we received around 300,000 euros on his transfer from Monaco to MU (2015).
All this has been invested in a fleet of four minibuses, in hiring additional educators, in providing equipment for young people and in purchasing materials.
Our success is that the young person reaches consecration, that he retains recognition and that he comes back from time to time,
like the elders before him.
Then, financially, if there are transfers, so much the better…”
Read alsoHis retirement, Knysna, his image… Patrice Evra tells us everything
The club also makes a large place for those who stay or have returned, for lack of having made their mark with the pros.
Niakaté's pair coach with the first team, Hamasili Camara, 34, was still a striker in the squad last season.
A large third of the players making up the group to welcome Paris FC this Saturday come from and/or were trained in Ulis – Sikhou Silla, Nicolas Brafine, Sery Seka, Alam Benaissa…
“This Cup match is important for our players who work five days a week, do their training and go up against others who train every day.
And then, it is for the kids who are going to see professionals evolve on their land…” At Les Ulis, we never stop sowing vocations.
