Maxime Chanot remembers his first preseason as a senior professional well.
“It was so hard, the level was just so high because it was my first pro contract," he said.
It was 2006, and Chanot was attempting to catch the eye of the coaching staff at Sheffield United, then in the Premier League. The defender was adjusting to new surroundings while battling for a spot alongside accomplished competition, including former England international Phil Jagielka.
“Doing the first preseason with Sheffield United was just like so intense,” he added. “We ran a lot. We had like three sessions per day. I remember I was training in the gym with the centre backs. They were such big guys and I was such a young guy.
“I couldn't even sleep at night because I was exhausted. That should be the opposite, but I remember my body was so sore.”
Now 33, Chanot applies the same intensity to his training, but he finds sleep easier to come by on preseason. The rest and recuperation are essential after a long day, but the defender is not complaining. He knows the benefit this affords him as he heads into another demanding and ambitious season with NYCFC.
“I know the first two weeks are very tough because your body didn't train as much, especially in MLS because you stop for such a long time, so I get a better feeling,” he explained. “But I'm always excited because, as I say, we don't see each other for a long time so it’s always a pleasure to get a chance to see your teammates, your coaches and live all together. It's always fun the first week. It's difficult for the body but I get to hang out with everyone I like.”
The physical benefit of preseason is well documented, but less discussed is the social component. The bonds that bring the group together are often forged in the focused environment of preseason. Evenings spent playing cards, video games, or just socializing draw the group closer together.
“When you’re back at home, you just have a chance to train with them for like three hours a day then everybody's going back home,” he explained. “The fact you stay together in a hotel, you share time together and off the field. It's a big help.”
While for those young players, hoping to embark on the same path Chanot did in 2006, this is an opportunity to learn and improve in a senior environment.
"The fact is, as much as you're going to work during preseason it is going to be a benefit during the rest of the season," he said. "It's very important for the young kids to get that and yeah, just try to teach them with my behavior on the pitch."
He added: “They have a chance to be around us, to learn from us on the pitch and also see the way we eat, the way we act, when we have to take regen [regeneration sessions] with the physio for example, so yeah, I think preseason is part of the learning center for the young players and for the newcomers."
The defender's experience and confidence can be heard in his voice. He is keen to be a calming and welcoming presence, having known the feeling of first day nerves. His own journey with NYCFC began in 2016 after spells in England, France, and Belgium. While living abroad was not a new experience, Chanot was opening himself up to a new culture, and he remembers fondly those that helped him adjust after crossing the Atlantic.
“The first guy was Frédéric Brillant,” he said. “The funny thing is, we played together a few years before I signed with New York in the first division in Belgium, so I knew him very well.
“The second guy was Frank Lampard. He was great with me, very helpful, very kind. We also had a house. I had the chance at this time to have Mehdi Ballouchy who spoke French so it was way easier.”
As Chanot settled into life in New York, he began to see the city as home. The familiarity of preseason with NYCFC is a consequence of his unique position as the Club's longest-serving player. It allows him to be a touchstone for the Club’s identity, to reinforce and remind those both old and new of what NYCFC stands for and aspires to be.
“What is sure now is I know this Club - NYCFC - very well,” he said. “I know the culture of this Club and it is mandatory for myself to bring the script to every newcomer, every person who steps into the squad. I think that's my main focus now to bring the culture and to understand what NYCFC is.”
NYCFC will kick off the 2023 MLS season on Feb. 25 when we visit Nashville SC at GEODIS Park (4:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
