YOUGAAAH! DROP PAIN FOR KELLY
Crawley’s season has bitter end
KELLY Youga grew up kicking a ball about with Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema but last weekend he experienced the other end of the footballing spectrum – relegation to the bottom tier of the Football League with Crawley Town.
It’s not the first time Youga has suffered relegation. The 29-year-old was part of the Charlton team that finished in the bottom three of the Premier League in 2006.
And while some disappointments get easier second time round, the heartbreak of last Sunday’s defeat to Coventry, which sealed the Red Devils’ fate, is still raw for the Central African Republic international.
“It was a very sad dressing room,” he said. “Some players were crying and everybody had their heads in their hands.
Crying
“I’d experienced it with Charlton, so I knew how it felt before I came here but that doesn’t make it better.
“It was really disappointing because we really thought we had a chance if we could win that last game. But we didn’t manage it and we went down – this is football.”
Crawley knew a final-day victory over Coventry would more-or-less guarantee safety and a place in League One next season.
And it all seemed so hopeful with 20 minutes to go after veteran keeper Brian Jensen pulled off a brilliant save to claw Nick Proschwitz’s firsthalf penalty away and Mathias Pogba put the hosts in front.
But disaster struck late on when Marcus Tudgay headed Coventry level and James Maddison sealed the win for the Sky Blues with 90 minutes on the clock.
It was almost a re-run of the previous weekend’s defeat away at Peterborough when two late goals turned victory into defeat.
A win in either would have confirmed Crawley’s status in the third tier and Youga admits it is a bitter pill to swallow.
“It was typical Crawley,” Youga added.“It was a loss of concentration in the last 15 minutes and that’s exactly what happened in the Peterborough game as well when we lost 4-3 from winning 3-2.
“The problem with Crawley was we completely panicked when we took the lead. You should be more relaxed when you’re in front but we just heaped pressure on ourselves, we couldn’t handle being in control.”
Pressure
Youga, who began his career in Lyon’s academy playing alongside France international Benzema, was only able to play a minor role in Crawley’s battle, joining at the end of March and playing their final five games.
He jumped at the chance to return to English football after a spell playing for Chinese side Qingdao Hainiu.
“I didn’t think twice,” said Youga, who is now a free agent.“I played nearly all my career in England so I knew if I had an opportunity to play here again I would take it.
“I’m 29 but I have the body of a 22-year-old. It would be nice to stay at Crawley but I haven’t heard anything yet so who knows?
“I just want to make sure I get in a proper pre-season because I have a lot left to give in League One, the Championship or even the Premier League.”
One priority for the Red Devils is to sort out their managerial situation.
They’ve parted company with John Gregory, who has spent the past six months recovering from heart surgery.
Interim boss Dean Saunders, 50, led a revival, but was unable to keep them up and it remains to be seen whether he will stay in charge next term.