Mandron on St Mirren snobbery, Scotland, Di Canio and Bale

The Herald Scotland

2 days ago

'It's the cliché, but all I can do is focus on me, work hard, try to do my best for St Mirren, and then if it comes, it comes.'
If you missed the mini-clamour for the in-form striker to be included in Steve Clarke's squad for the friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein, you may be wondering just why I and born-and-bred Frenchman Mandron are chewing the fat about his prospects of representing Scotland.
But he almost did already, way back when he was a youngster who had just barely set foot in the UK for the first time, never mind ventured north of Hadrian's Wall.
A call up for an under-20 tournament in 2013, courtesy of a promising start to his professional career at Sunderland and an Aberdonian granny, ultimately came to nothing though.
'I remember my coach and the academy manager telling me that I've got a call up, but I think at the time I didn't have my papers in order, so I never went,' he said.
(Image: SNS Group) 'When I had first come over to the UK when I was very young, I still had aspirations to play for France, because obviously coming from France and growing up in France I've always supported France.
'It's only later in my career when you realise that hold on, there's actually a possibility there, I could play for Scotland. Then throughout playing in Scotland you get closer to your roots and closer to your background and then you realise, you know what? I would love to. It would be great.
'I wouldn't say it's been something that's been on my mind for my whole career, but it's been way more dominant in my mind since I've been in Scotland.
'Hopefully I can do that one day.'
If he does, it would represent quite the capping of a 'have boots, will travel' career in the game.
Mandron was a highly rated prospect in his youth, though an entry in his extensive Wikipedia page about him attending the prestigious Clairefontaine Academy, that of Thierry Henry and countless other world-class French talents, is wide of the mark.
'That's a bit of a common misconception,' he said.
'I never actually went there. There are trials that go on when you're around 13 in Paris, and there's thousands and thousands of kids trying to get in.
'I think I'd done maybe five rounds, maybe more, and I went to the very last trials when you go through to the place at Clairefontaine. But I never actually got selected to go to the academy. I wish I did!
'There's so many players that come from there and I'm sure all the players in there, they get such a great football education.'
Not that his own was too shabby either. Picked up by the renowned amateur outfit Athletic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt, he was suddenly in the shop window, and there were plenty of suitors.
'The way the football world works for us is different from the way it is in the UK,' he explained.
'I played for my local club, however I was very lucky that my local club is probably the best amateur club in Paris.
'Here, if your first team is in the first division, that means all your youth teams will be in the first division. It doesn't work like that there.
'The club I was at, every age group played at the highest level. Growing up, I always played against all the academies - PSG, Rennes, Lille, all the big French academies.
'All the scouts used to come to see us. A lot of my mates got scouted by French teams or English teams. I got scouted by Sunderland.
(Image: Getty Images)
'I got lucky with one game, I'm sure I scored a couple of goals. I think it might have been against Rennes. The scout spoke to my mum who came to watch the game. We had a conversation, they invited me over for a trial for a week. I went over to Sunderland, and I loved it, it was amazing.
'The week after, I went on trial for Newcastle as well, then I went back to Sunderland for a second week. I got offered contracts from both clubs. I was so grateful.
'I chose Sunderland.'
Before too long, he would be catching the eye of his manager, former Celtic hero Paolo Di Canio. And when an injury crisis afflicted his forward line, including one then Scotland star, Mandron was handed a Premier League debut at Villa Park.
It may have ended in a thumping defeat, but for the young substitute, it was the stuff of dreams.
'At that time, at 18, I was doing well for the reserves and there were a few injuries to guys like Steven Fletcher,' he said.
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'I got a chance to go up in the first team. I was on the bench for a few games before my debut. The last one towards the end of the season it was Villa away. Villa Park was amazing, an incredible stadium, and I got my chance.
'We ended up losing 6-1. We had a red card as well, but it was an amazing experience.'
As too was the experience of working under Di Canio, which as you might expect, was quite the eye opener for a young player.
'It was definitely special!' Mandron laughed.
'But he was an amazing coach. You can tell he was a top player. When it comes to the details, how he sets up the teams, the information he gives in the training. Especially for me as a striker, when it came to finishing and movement, how his timing was, his finishing was top class. He absolutely still had it.
'But then when it comes to his management, he had his own ways. I feel like a lot of players wouldn't really enjoy how strict he was. He wouldn't allow certain drinks at lunch, no sauces. He was really quite strict. I think it's kind of close to what a lot of teams do back in Italy than the English way of doing things.
'But he was amazing for me. I'm forever grateful for him. He gave me my chance, he gave me my debut. Then he played me again later on that season against Tottenham away.
(Image: SNS Group) 'I think he did like me. He had me around the first team all the time. He was trying to coach me and improve me. He was great for me.'
The Tottenham game that Mandron references didn't quite go to plan for the Mackems either, with the striker's second big chance soon taking a twist, and his new duties not exactly affording him the greatest opportunity to shine on the big stage.
'I come on and literally five minutes later, we get a red card again,' he said.
'I was playing up front, but I ended up having to go on the left. So, I ended up having to go play against Aaron Lennon, and then Gareth Bale.
'I managed to get the ball back from Aaron Lennon once actually. You know what's crazy? When you're young, you watch these players on TV all the time, so you kind of know what they're going to do. I remember I knew he was going to go on his right foot, and I got the ball off him.
'But then Gareth Bale came over and he was way too fast! I ended up getting a yellow card for a challenge on him. It was quite a bad tackle in fairness!
'It was an amazing experience for me though. Bale was unreal. He scored an amazing goal against us. They had Lennon, other guys like Moussa Dembélé. I mean, they had top players.'
If that was an education in what it took to make it at the top level, Mandron would soon also be dealt a harsh lesson in the realities of football, and how difficult it would be to carve out a career in the Premier League.
'At the time, you're obviously hoping that you're going to stay around the first team and keep playing more games,' he said. 'And I did stay around for a while.
'It was difficult at Sunderland to break through though. There was no consistency because the first team was never doing great. You were always in the relegation battle. What comes with that is that managers come and go, they get sacked.
'Paolo only ended up staying for another six months or so after my debut. Then another manager comes in.
'When teams are in a difficult position and a manager comes in, they don't really have time for young players to give them their chance. And the standards were pretty high. There were about three strikers ahead of me, so it's going to be difficult.
'Even just in training with these sorts of teams, you've got top players. We had Lee Cattermole, Steven Fletcher, Stéphane Sessegnon, John O'Shea, Wes Brown. You know, you've got really top players.
'You see that their level is so high. It opens up your eyes and it shows you the levels you have to reach.
'It wasn't to be. But while I was there, I truly enjoyed it. I was green, you know? But I loved it.'
Having rubbed shoulders with such storied names at such a young age, and been used to the comforts of life with a Premier League outfit, many players may have turned their noses up at dropping down the divisions. Not Mandron.
Loan spells at Fleetwood Town, Shrewsbury Town and Hartlepool United would lay the groundwork for the path his career would follow, before a permanent switch to non-league Eastleigh Town.
'I'd been playing under-21s or reserves for a while,' he said.
'It comes to a stage where you realise that playing reserves is not really going to get you anywhere.
'I had to do something. I remember actually I demanded to go on loan, and I went to Fleetwood.
'It's a different type of football. It's really men's football. When you're used to playing under-21s and you're playing for a Premier League club, it's not as physical. It's more technical, more tactical. You've got more time on the ball.
'And when you go there, you realise that every game matters. These guys, they're playing for careers. They're playing for their lives. And it was really good for me.
(Image: SNS Group) 'It really helped me in my career because it gave me experience. It gave me an idea of what it was like to make it as a professional football player.
'If you're not going to make it at a very high level, then you're still required to make it at a lower level, and it's slightly different, you know?
'Going to the National League eventually was a bit of a surprise, because leaving Sunderland, and after I had been playing in League Two, I was hoping to get a club at least in League One.
'I had opportunities which didn't materialise, so I ended up at Eastleigh and honestly, I had the best time ever.
'I loved it because it was a great club, great teammates, and I was playing every week. And having had the experience of going on loan before, I knew exactly what to expect, how to prepare, how to play in that type of football, that type of environment. And it worked so well for me. I scored goals. Honestly, it was so good for me.'
So much so, that within six months, he would get the jump up the divisions he craved, all the way to The Championship in fact, as Wigan shelled out hard cash to bring him north.
'It was a great experience, but Wigan didn't really go as I would have liked because the manager, Warren Joyce, lost his job very soon after I signed,' he said.
'And then when Paul Cook arrived, he said to me, look, I've got three strikers ahead of you, you're not going to play all that much, so I left.
'I felt like I was definitely ready for that level. I played a few games, I did well. And I feel like it's unfortunate because if the manager had stayed then I would have had more opportunities, I would have played at that level.
'And that is football. You can't control it. Sometimes you need a bit of luck. Sometimes luck goes against you. And it is what it is.'
Mandron's irrepressibility shines through in the conversation, and he didn't allow that setback to get him down. As he has done countless times in his career, he upped sticks and simply got on with it.
Spells at Colchester United, Gillingham (under Scotsman Steve Evans), Crewe and Gillingham again would follow, before he set his sights further north.
During that period, there were plenty of highs, like scoring in an FA Cup giant-killing of Premier League Brentford and netting against the club that released him, Sunderland, in the Stadium of Light, as well as plenty of lows, such as long-term injuries and the frequent need to pack up his belongings and make a new place home.
'I'm not really one to get down,' he said.
'I was never down on myself. It's just a sense of like, 'ah, well, there's an opportunity here, I'll go to the next club.'
'I never threw my toys out of the pram. It was never an issue for me. I feel like I truly understand the nature of the business. A manager comes in, he's got his ideas, then the next manager comes in, he's got his own ideas. And I've never taken it personally. That's just the nature of football.
'What has always been important to me was to play. It's not about being in a place that may look better, or you may be on more money or whatever. If you're not playing, you're wasting your time, and you're not going to be happy off the pitch.
'A lot of times, the life off the pitch and on the pitch, they really go hand in hand.'
That balance is something Mandron has certainly found since making the move to his ancestral homeland, though his first stop north of the border was in Lanarkshire, where he hoped to lay down some roots at long last with Motherwell.
(Image: SNS Group) 'I didn't know too much about Scottish football before going up,' he said.
'I remember when Motherwell were interested, I called up a few of my friends who play up here and asked them what it's like. And they all had great things to say about Scottish football, about the life up here and everything.
'You really play big games here. You play football, the stadiums are top. And I really enjoyed it from the start.
'I played at Arbroath away and I scored two goals in my first game. And I just really wanted to kick on. But unfortunately, I got injured the following week.
'But all in all, I really enjoyed my time at Motherwell. We had a good team. Kevin van Veen was on fire. We ended up finishing strong towards the end of that season, finishing seventh, winning loads of games. I came back fit for the last few games, and I really enjoyed it.'
Alas, his stay at Fir Park was again a short one, but there is another common misconception that Mandron would like to clear up over the nature of his departure.
'I get a lot of Motherwell fans message me on social media and they call me a snake and stuff like that, but it's a little mad, because I didn't choose to leave Motherwell,' he said.
'I wanted to stay, and I had been told I was getting a contract there, and it ended up that I didn't get offered a contract. So, that's why I ended up leaving.
'It wasn't like I had a contract offer and chose to go to St Mirren instead, that's not what happened. I was told that I was going to get offered a contract when the season ended. I had that conversation you have with the manager [Stuart Kettlewell] at the end of the season, and he said, 'yeah, we want you, we're going to keep you, we're going to offer you a contract'.
'A few weeks later, it turned out that they were not offering me a contract, they said they couldn't. I thought I was going to be staying. It's not that I turned down a contract at Motherwell.
'I was keen to stay up here because of how much I enjoyed it, so if it was not going to be Motherwell, I was still thinking that I'd love to stay up here. And then, thankfully, St Mirren came along, and I have absolutely loved it.'
Motherwell's loss then was ultimately St Mirren's gain. After a slow start, the big forward hit a hot streak of form in the second part of last season, and if his seven goals in 14 games wasn't ultimately enough to convince Steve Clarke to give him a call, that was more than enough for Stephen Robinson to give him a new contract, with Mandron delighted to be spending at least one more year at the SMiSA.
That feeling of finding a home at long, long last has contributed to showing some of the best form of his career of late, and so too has the influence of his manager.
'He's great. I mean, really, credit to him,' he said.
'He's managed to build the club up to create a really great working environment. He's built a great culture here and with his recruitment, he has created a great core of players.
'He's intelligent, and everybody works. I truly enjoy that. Standards are high and everybody is working hard, but in a really enjoyable environment.
(Image: SNS Group) 'We're all laughing around and we're all friends but when it comes to our training, we're all working hard and everybody's dedicated and that's the best environment you can be in. I remember when I came in, very quickly I realised that everybody's on it, and I understood why they were doing so well.
'The manager, the way he works, the way he sets up the team, the way he treats people, that's why he's been so successful.'
So successful in fact that Mandron and his teammates have been taken aback that Robinson is still their manager. But he has a theory as to why that is so, and it is rooted in snobbery over his tactics and yet another common misconception over the team he has built.
'Every time someone loses their job, it's like, 'Oh, the gaffer will be in the frame for that!' But he hasn't ended up going,' he said.
'It's definitely great for us, but it's only a matter of time for him because he's been so successful. He's taken the club into the top six three years in a row, and we're the only team, apart from Celtic and Rangers, who's been in top six for three years running. If you look at the budget that we're working with, we're doing so great.
'But I feel like I've got an idea as to why he hasn't had the opportunity just yet. I think it's because from the outside looking in, it doesn't look like we're a football playing team. It doesn't look like the manager sets up his team to play football.
'But that's only because when we take goal kicks, we go long. And we put a lot of balls in the box. And we don't do 50 passes in our own box. But anyone who's watched us throughout the season, you cannot deny that we've played some amazing football. We just play high up the pitch.
'I think the way football is nowadays, everybody wants a manager that seems to have a certain philosophy, that has players dropping in their own box and playing 10 passes and stuff like that.
'We lick our lips when we see teams doing that. The way we set up defensively, we've got our triggers to press and get the ball back high up the pitch. So, that really works into our hands where a team want to do 50 passes in their own half before going forward. That's perfect for us, because we know exactly how to press and how to set up a situation.
'Because that's not what we do, though, from the outside looking in, it may look like we're not a football playing team. And I think that's wrong. It's only a matter of time until people realise that and the manager, I'm sure, will get an opportunity to coach higher.
'The Dundee United game away recently is a great illustration of how we can play and how the manager sets us up.
'It's been super exciting. We all know what it takes. We all know that we can improve and we're going to improve.
'There's no reason why we can't be up there pushing again next season.'
And Mandron is hoping, Steve Clarke will be watching.