Samba man dances to his own special beat
He was 16-years-old, had been spotted playing for FC Joinville-le-Pont in the Paris suburbs, and was eager to get along to the Brittany club’s training ground for his trial.
This was his first shot at the big time, but three hours later youth academy head Patrick Rampillon was still waiting for him to show up.
“Sylvain somehow turned up at the cycling school,” Rampillon recalled - and the moral was not to ask for directions at Rennes railway station. “When he finally arrived, it only took me 20 minutes to be sure I wanted him,” he said
Since then, Wiltord has discovered a knack for being in the right place at the right time: he was the spark for Bordeaux’s 1999 French championship success with a league-best 22 goals; it was Wiltord who brought France back from the brink of defeat in the Euro 2000 final with a 94th-minute equaliser against Italy; and his strike at Old Trafford last May earned Arsenal the 1-0 win that sealed the league and cup double.
This week, Arsene Wenger saw fit to respond to the criticism of Wiltord, which has been growing in volume from the Highbury faithful this season. Of course, it helped the club’s record purchase that Wenger’s testimony came after Wiltord had scored a crucial opening goal away to Middlesbrough seven days ago.
Little wonder that Thierry Henry calls him a man with a destiny.
Destiny failed him in Valencia last month, however. With his side level at 1-1 in a must-draw Champions League game at the Mestalla, Wiltord brought the ball out of defence, but was tackled by Vicente, who crossed for John Carew to score a second goal, and send Arsenal out of Europe.
“Against Valencia, I found myself playing on the right side of midfield, obliged to bring the ball forward. I just ran out of juice. I’d accelerated so much in the game that I finished up not having the strength to carry the ball. What happened afterwards was a terrible blow, and I felt bad for all the other players, ” he says.
In his next game, the domestic cup replay against Chelsea, he scored the second goal in a 3-0 win. “It was great to score in that game, because it helped me forget about Valencia,” he says.
In these days of personal websites and wall-to-wall football coverage, Wiltord is conspicuous by his absence from the media spotlight.
Unlike Henry and Robert Pires, the 28-year-old player usually turns down interview requests.
“Fans would perhaps like me to give them more about what’s going on in my life, but I prefer to do my talking on the pitch,” he explained.
Wiltord is more generous on the field. Since being converted to the right side of midfield by Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, the club’s record £12m signing has adapted to the team’s needs, and now makes as many goals as he scores.
No player has made more Arsenal appearances this season.
“When I’m happy in a team, I will do anything to make sure that all goes well,” Wiltord said. “I will give my all for my team-mates. When I look back at the three years I’ve been at Arsenal there’s no way I can find anything better. Being with Arsenal is the best,” he says.
It’s not surprising, then, that Wiltord is angling for a four-year extension to his contract, which expires in 2004.
Talks are continuing, but reports in France claim that he will be offered only a two-year deal. Wiltord’s attitude has helped him to become a major figure in the Highbury dressing-room.
His team-mates are mystified that he gained a reputation in French football - as a difficult character. “Sylvain is a top bloke and a great professional. You should see him at training,” Henry observed.
France forward Steve Marlet said: “Sylvain always finds the right word to raise a laugh.”
Wiltord has not forgotten his old coach or the lessons he learned at his first club. While he was grabbing headlines and goals at Bordeaux, he would still pop back to Rennes to catch up with friends.
His work for charity goes unheralded, and he is the patron of the France Telecom Cup, an inner-city football project in Paris.
“People always associate inner cities with social problems, but there are a lot of good things about these areas,” he said.
“There is a great solidarity among the people. It is something very close to my heart. I haven’t forgotten where I come from.”
He also tells the youngsters that he found his inspiration through music - Brazilian samba, Mexican salsa, French hip-hop.
“I find that when you listen to certain types of music, it can give you a lift. You dance, you feel good and you sing: and then you can take that out on to the pitch with you. I always listen to music before games. For me, it’s super-important,” says Wiltord.
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