Dunkerque was a vital location for the course of World War II, recreated in a magnificent film by Christopher Nolan. In this port city, whose beaches decided the most significant conflict of the 20th century, competes USL Dunkerque, a humble team that has never played in the top division of French football, yet is astonishing Europe with a limited budget, co-leading Ligue 2 alongside Paris F.C.

In 2023, the Amissos group, owner of the Turkish Samsunspor, decided to invest in a club without a rich history in French football, a city better known for its historical significance. The keys to the project were entrusted to Demba Ba, an iconic Premier League striker who was a star in England for many years due to his outstanding performances at Newcastle and Chelsea.

The Senegalese forward, who had been guided by Ralf Rangnick as a sports director, laid the foundations of an ambitious project in just a year and a half, characterized by signing young players on free transfers and playing attacking football. To achieve this, he brought in Luis Castro, the coach who had won the Youth League with Benfica, bringing names like Joao Neves, Gonçalo Ramos, and Antonio Silva to the forefront.

In just a year and a half, Demba Ba made 35 signings and 23 sales, transforming Dunkerque, which barely escaped relegation last season, into the great revelation of the French second division. He spent only €277,000 in the summer market, a clear testament to how effectively he optimizes the club's limited resources. The former Chelsea player spoke to Diario AS amid a season that could culminate in a historic promotion for the club.

How did the opportunity to join Dunkerque come about? Was it a surprise?

It was absolutely not a surprise. The club's purchase was made through me; I had a vision to develop a project and get it rolling. To develop this idea, it was necessary for an investor to invest in the club. I spoke with Yildrim (the current owner), who had propelled a club in Turkey. We tried to acquire Valenciennes, but the owner retracted. We turned to Dunkerque, and I took over as sports director.

Your mentor was Ralf Rangnick, who has influenced German football. Did you apply the Red Bull philosophy at Dunkerque by signing players with great potential?

Before developing a philosophy on the field, one must define the club's philosophy and develop that. I referenced universal ideas that have been important in all football teams. And of course, I took them into account because we needed to start from scratch with Dunkerque. Personally, I have my own football philosophy. I’ve applied concepts I learned from Rangnick, but also from everyone I've crossed paths with throughout my football career, through many travels I made.

How did you conclude that Ligue 2, where coaches are very pragmatic, needed a coach like Luis Castro, who won the Youth League with Benfica?

There are many factors. The most important is the philosophy of play. Luis embodies the philosophy I want to apply to the club. I am very happy and proud to have him. We told each other that we were in Ligue 2, but we were going to play football. There’s a lot of pragmatism. I started watching many matches and saw that the teams ranked higher in various leagues were the ones taking risks, wanted to play out from the back, and had possession. We also wanted to create value in the club with his profile, allowing players to increase in value. That’s why we pursued his profile after analyzing him for a long time and having conversations with him. He sees football the same way I do and practices a style that I love.

What is the secret to Dunkerque going from fighting against relegation to co-leading Ligue 2 in just a year?

In my opinion, the key lies in planning. We arrived in Dunkerque, at least in my case, with very clear ideas to develop. The secret of it all is the planning we’ve applied, along with the way we make decisions. The signings are also important, as is the work on team cohesion... When you combine all these ingredients, it brings you closer to results.

What differences do you see between English and French football? Is the gap as wide as people think?

The distance between both leagues, in my opinion, is justified. It’s true that there are similarities, for example, in physicality. Also individual talent and intensity. However, in terms of gameplay intensity, England is far superior, along with technical quality. In England, the pressure from teams is much more intense, which requires you to be much more precise in passing, ball control, and many other aspects.

Dunkerque is one of the few teams in Ligue 2 whose playing style is characterized by possession and space occupation. When you joined the club, was that the model to follow? To play good football and develop an ambitious project?

Yes, for me it was important to play good football and practice it. The idea was to have an attractive style of play. And yes, the project is quite ambitious. We also wanted our playing style to reflect the values of the city. It was essential to develop an ambitious project, centering around youth, where everyone can enjoy.

What’s the secret to signing a young, inexperienced player who fits so well into Dunkerque's style? Do you use Big Data for signings?

Unfortunately, we need economic resources that are essential to utilize Big Data. Everything begins with scouting and the feel the analyst has, which then translates to the coach before incorporating a player. For me, it’s important when making a signing to maximize our attention towards them, to care for them, with the goal of having them focus solely on football, not outside distractions, and to provide them with a project that helps develop their talent. Again, we speak of planning: a precise plan for all the players we will sign.

You were a Premier League star and now work for a modest club. Is the change noticeable? Do you enjoy football the same way today?

Yes, the change is extremely noticeable because the differences between the Premier League, for example, at Newcastle or Chelsea (the teams I played for), and Dunkerque, which is regarded as a humble team in Ligue 2, are vast in terms of image, club structure, or financial terms. I enjoy it just the same. I love good football; I like developing an idea in a project. Of course, the quality of players varies greatly, but I enjoy what I do and developing this project.

Finally, a little more current affairs. You eliminated PSG with Chelsea thanks to a last-minute goal. Now the project has changed; there are no more stars. How do you view Luis Enrique's project? Do you think he can turn the situation around?

I hope they can turn the situation around, but honestly, I can’t comment much because I’m not inside the club to know what working methods are being used. From my perspective, there are various things that could change. Because when we observe what they’re doing in the Champions League, we see they approach games differently compared to teams they've faced, like Atlético de Madrid and Arsenal. I perceive they have a deficit regarding intensity. They could alter the style of the players, but it’s the project that Luis Enrique has chosen, and it’s good that he wants to develop that idea. Mixing different player profiles could be interesting. And regarding the stars, whether there are more or fewer stars doesn’t matter, because PSG, last year, had more stars than Borussia Dortmund and were eliminated in the Champions semi-finals.

Not sure why he was asked about PSG, a club he played against more than a decade ago and never for, but he answered with good grace. Dunkerque are on the rise and if the owner was debating about signing any more players that Ba or Castro feel they might need in this window, I suspect any doubts were dashed when they won away to 9th placed L1 side Auxerre in the Coupe de France just before Christmas, which gave the team, club and city a boost and probably made the festive goose and champagne taste all the sweeter! The feel good factor can continue with a repeat of their win in this fixture last season.