The most hyped young Frenchman of 2012: Gaël Fickou

[psychic duck]

There is a new player who is emerging this season with Toulouse called Gaël Fickou. Despite being only aged 18, he is already one of the most hyped up French players there have been. He's being hyped up in France similar to like how Manu Tuilagi was hyped up when he first got into the Leicester team, and is the most hyped kid France have had since Frédéric Michalak broke onto the scene as a teenager back in 2001.

After his debut against Agen and now he is seemingly gradually getting ahead of Yannick Jauzion to be Toulouse first choice centre, many French see him as a prodigy who could break into the France team either in November or in the 6 Nations, despite him having very little experience.

Even Shaun Edwards has got involved in hyping him up. As he wrote this last season.

I've seen the future and it runs, tackles, scores tries and is called Gaël Fickou. Think of a cross between a young Damien Traille and Wesley Fofana.He's a centre who plays for Toulon, although not on Friday night against Harlequins, because he's currently in Madrid as part of rugby's equivalent of the league of nations â€" the under-18 world championship. In comparison with this weekend's other big rugby event, the Heineken Cup quarter-finals, it couldn't be more different with the accent on mucking in, sharing hotels, eating together. But next year who knows?
Fickou will play for France sooner rather than later and it's not too much of a mind-stretch to seeing him lining up alongside Jonny Wilkinson â€" assuming Toulon continue as they are currently progressing in the Top 14 â€" when next season's Heineken kicks off in the autumn.

As you may have noticed, he refers to Fickou as a Toulon player there. Fickou surprised many by leaving the club last summer for the French champions Toulouse, as he was annoyed at Toulon's signature of Maxime Mermoz which was likely to leave him behind both Matt Giteau, Maxime Mermoz and also possibly Geoffroy Messina in the pecking order.

This is becoming a problem for Toulon. Whenever they produce their own talent, it gets stuck behind more established stars that they have purchased and doesn't get the chance to play and then ends up leaving.

Fickou is not the first to leave Toulon for this reason. Yoann Maestri also left the club for Toulouse for the similar reasons, and now Maestri is an established player with Toulouse and destined to win many more French caps in the future. Another homegrown player Toulon have produced who they let slip is Marc Andreu, who moved to Castres and took his opportunity to play more there and won a France call up in 2010, and is a good winger at club level. The only young homegrown player in the Toulon side currently is Pierrick Gunther, the exception to the rule, and only got his chance to play due to a long term injury to Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe.

Toulon produce nowhere near the amounts of homegrown talent compared to the amount that the Toulouse and Clermont academies produce. So when they do produce good homegrown players, they need to learn how to integrate them into the first team. Otherwise these players could come and make them look silly in the future.

 

[welshglory]

Poor man's Ashley Beck

In all seriousness he looks like a very intriguing prospect. France have got some excellent youngsters coming through in the likes of Buttin, Maestri, Tolofua and Fofana. They should be firing again on the international stage in no time, people forget that after the world cup most teams go through a rebuilding phase, we did that before the WC (mostly because of a lack of quality options though!).

The way i see the Toulon situation is that they worked really hard as an organisation/club to get back into the top flight. Using whatever means necessary, so buying top talent. They already have a great supporter base and workable stadium, so that isn't an issue. I hope that if they have some success in the near future, they will start to invest more in their academy.

 

[nickdnz]

Interesting read - can't help but feel the hype is similar to that of Benjamin Fall in 2008 - which while he's good, he's not a world beater or even a regular started for France. Good luck to him though, France could do with another solid midfield. My only question would be, from my perspective I see Fofana has an inside centre more than a winger, in which case Fikou could be behind him for quite some time. Wouldn't mind seeing one eventually shift to centre - although I also rate Mermoz whoes still quite young. France certainly don't seem short of decent centres at the moment.

On the academy side, I don't know if it's a massive problem. If you can always afford to buy the best players, there is no worries about producing them. The issue that you did bring up though, which I agree is an issue, is producing good players and then losing them because of lack of foresight. I really rate Marc Andreu (probably my favourite French player besides Heymans), it seemed mental that they lost him but buy Paul Sackey (who they then ditched) and Luke Rooney (who couldn't make the Hawkes Bay starting XV). Andreu is tiny, but he's amazing.

 

[Tony Manx]

I am not sure what the meaning of the ***le of this thread as to whether they are hyped but not good or are the next best thing to come............However, i believe that one of the best young players, if 22 is young, is Doussain the ST 9 or 10......he will be a permanent fixture in the French team in the not too distant future and for some time..............I am watching Fickou with great interest now against Bayonne and must admit to not having noticed him previously!!

he only did one or two things in the whole match and the only thing I could tell was that he is a strong lad!! Will continue to watch out for him...............

 

[psychic duck]

The massive hype bandwagon surrounding Fickou has reached the UK and got larger in France after his try against Leicester. He has already been dubbed "ready to be rugby's next global superstar" and "on the verge of greatness".

Do people agree with me that the media need to steady a little? Sure he's good, but "next global superstar" seems a bit premature.

Toulouse's Gaël Fickou looks ready to be rugby's next global superstar

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/oct/16/gael-fickou-toulouse-heineken-cup?newsfeed=true

On the verge of greatness

http://www.espnscrum.com/france/rugby/story/171821.html

Gael Fickou the new Toulouse star

http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/news/19202.php

Gaël Fickou, 18 ans et tout d'un futur grand

http://www.20minutes.fr/sport/rugby/1029286-rugby-gael-fickou-18-ans-tout-futur-grand

Gaël Fickou, le diamant brut du rugby français

http://blog14-rugby-tv.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/gael-fickou-le-diamant-brut-du-rugby.html

 

[Draggs]

See: Gavin Henson, Ben Atiga, Lionel Beauxis, Jean-Baptiste Peyras-Loustalet

IRB Junior Player curse!

 

[Feicarsinn]

He's no Brian.

 

[jcahill1]

He's no Brian.

Yeah he's bigger, faster, stronger and more skillful.

 

[jcahill1]

Only joking

 

[Feicarsinn]

Good. You were in for a world of pain there. I was seriously considering a lengthy ban.

 

[jcahill1]

Wouldn't blame you. Entirely justified.

 

[erwanseb]

Yeah he's bigger, faster, stronger and more skillful.

He is indeed bigger, faster, stronger and more skillful but that does not mean he will be a better player.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Brian who!!!!!!! but more seriously i would rather have him in my side than against me, a player for the future, plus as he plays for Toulouse he will be brought along exactly as he should be by Guy Noves so there is absolutely no reason why he will not be a massive success and will no doubt be in the next WC as St Andre is already preparing the youngsters for the occaision..

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Well, I don't know about Novès... after all he's been there for a while but we still lost Michalak for half a decade.
I do think that PSA is being a lot more responsible when managing Fickou than previous managements were with Michalak.
I think that the Fickou case is more comparable to Médard. I predict a quite average 2013-2014 season and then settling to be a very good centre. There is nothing really to suggest he will be first choice come RWC 2015.

 

[Tony Manx]

Well, I don't know about Novès... after all he's been there for a while but we still lost Michalak for half a decade.
I do think that PSA is being a lot more responsible when managing Fickou than previous managements were with Michalak.
I think that the Fickou case is more comparable to Médard. I predict a quite average 2013-2014 season and then settling to be a very good centre. There is nothing really to suggest he will be first choice come RWC 2015.

Unfair on Noves about Michalak.....when Freddie was there previously he was the Carlos Spencer, Gregor Townsend type player who was too cavalier for top class rugby unless the match was clearly won or clearly lost. The type of player who would throw a brilliant long pass (that is brilliant if it came off) or through his legs in the hope someone could read his intentions.

Obviously, since playing for the Sharks and with advancing years, he has learnt that flair is OK at the right time and he has shown admirable patience and turned into a really good and reliable 10 that, I must admit, I never thought I would see or want in my side. This is an even greater achievement when you consider that he is only the no 2 10 for Toulon behind Wilko...

Having said that, one wonders if, like Sir Alex Ferguson, Noves is living just a little beyond or is approcahing his sell by date?

On Fickou, I think he will definitely be in or pressing hard for a centre birth come RWC 2015..................

 

[Draggs]

Freddie wasn't just a flair player though. One of the best matches he played for us was at Newlands in the 2011 CC. He kicked everything and slotted a few drop goals. It was a dire match but he took control and won it.
For me, he is the epitome of a French back. Bold and brilliant one moment, the next... oh god! He is well-loved by Sharks fans, and I think we are all glad to see him have another crack in the French shirt. Take care of him! (Bloody bugger made Lambie play fullback though, bald barrel...)

 

[jcahill1]

He is indeed bigger, faster, stronger and more skillful but that does not mean he will be a better player.

Would disagree with faster and more skillful

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Freddie wasn't just a flair player though. One of the best matches he played for us was at Newlands in the 2011 CC. He kicked everything and slotted a few drop goals. It was a dire match but he took control and won it.

That's quite new though. As the french TV commentator said last game when Michalak slotted a drop goal: "that's the South African Michalak".

 

[Taranus]

I don't watch much French Rugby but from following the results it does appear that Fickou and David are starting in place of Jauzion and its one of those two playing alongside Fritz. Is Fickou seen as the long term replacement for Jauzion now or is it likely Toulouse will bring someone else in?

 

[gaston le gaff]

Without a doubt Frikou and David are fore runners but do not forget Fritz who is also playing centre for France if something comes along equally as good don't worry Toulouse will have them, with a buget of 39,000,000 plus they have the resources. Jauzion ids about past his sell by date and could possibly become staff in the not too distant future.