Flashscore: How are things going? How's life in Austria?
Peneau: "Frankly, very well. It's my first time abroad, so I didn't really know what to expect, but I'm pleasantly surprised. It's also the first time I've played so many matches, so you have to get used to the rhythm. But it's all positive. I'm a bit tired sometimes, but everything's going well."
What surprised you?
"The environment, the mentality, the people. I love the mentality here. It's really different from France, and from the first day I felt like I was at home, like I'd been here for a long time. The welcome has been incredible. The people at the club are always available, especially for foreigners. If you have the slightest problem, you can call them whenever you want, which is reassuring. And then, of course, when you feel good off the pitch, you feel good on it too."
I imagine that you still speak English on a daily basis...
"The language here is German, but as they're used to having foreign players around, at the start, for example, there was always an English translation on the pitch, even when we had meetings. Now we've decided with the team that they'll only speak German because it takes a long time to speak German and then translate into English. We're going to have German lessons made available by the club, and then we always have players who can translate for us into English if we really don't understand. Most of the time I speak English with the other players in the dressing room.
"I had a 'classic' level of English, and when you're not used to speaking, it's hard to start, but here they really put you at ease. I never felt judged. In fact, they try to help you if you don't speak too much. In the end, I've been here for almost three months, and my English has never progressed as much as it has since I've been here."
What's life like as a professional player in Austria?
"It's pretty much the same as in France. You train every day, sometimes twice. There are fitness sessions, debriefings and meetings. The timetable changes according to the matches so that we can rest. The rest of the time, we're free."
What about the facilities?
"It's great. Everything is around the stadium, and we play in the stadium at every home game. There are at least seven training pitches. Frankly, there's nothing to complain about."
"The level of the league is better in France"
Have you had time to visit Sankt Polten? What does it look like?
"It's very clean and colourful, typical of Eastern Europe. I really like the pink and blue facades... It's not very big, but it's really cute. It's not as big as Vienna, and there are fewer things to visit, fewer historical monuments, etc. But in terms of style, it's the same as Vienna."
Did your teammates take the time to take you there?
"Yeah, we've been to Vienna 3-4 times. And also because my family came once. I love the city, to be honest, it's great. We've also done some things in the surrounding area that are well known. In truth, we haven't done much compared to the time I've been here, but that's normal as I'm not here on holiday. But as soon as we have a bit of time and we're not too tired, we obviously try to take advantage of being here to see a bit of the country. That's also the aim."
How do you rate the standard of the Austrian league compared with France?
"Of course, the level of the league in general in France is better, and I knew that when I came here, but in terms of intensity and duels, it's different. There are no easy matches. If you ask Lyon in France, you hope to win almost all your games, but here you don't have that same dominance. For me, the feeling is a little less strong. But it's not bad at all. There's still some opposition. And no, I think the general level is still interesting."
And you're moving on from Guingamp, where you used to lose quite often, to St Polten, who are fighting for the title.
"Yes, of course it did. Honestly, it also played a part in my decision to tell myself that I was going to fight for the title. Something I'd never have hoped for, because in France it's too hard, to be honest. Or you have to be in the best teams. When you spend a season losing almost all your games, you don't really enjoy yourself at the end. And that was a very important factor for me when I came here, to say to myself that normally I'm going to enjoy winning after winning and fighting for different goals."
Do you also feel that you're more highly regarded in Austria?
"I don't know about Austria as a whole, because I don't really know what things are like at the other clubs. It seems to me, if I'm not being silly, that there are a few clubs in the league that aren't even professional. So I think that if we take the development of women's football as a whole, we're at the same level in general as everything else that's going on, apart from England, which I think is still ahead of us and has made enormous progress.
"On the other hand, in the club here, even though there are still a few things where the boys have priority, I find that we're considered to be almost on an equal footing. But we feel that our sporting performance is just as important as that of the boys. We had a meeting with the boys' team and ourselves, and the chairman said that they really wanted these to be common objectives for the whole club. That's a step up."
"I did the video and I had a bit of a feeling".
When St Polten made an offer in the summer, did you hesitate?
"To be perfectly honest, at first I didn't know the club or the Austrian league. I gave myself the opportunity to listen to their presentation of the club, their objectives and what they expected from me. I said to myself, you never know, the market was a bit complicated this year, and I didn't have many offers either. I was just convinced by everything they told me. I did the video, and I had a bit of a feeling.
"I said to myself that it looked pretty good: the infrastructure, their objectives, the fact that they've been playing in the Champions League for three years... That also weighed in the balance. And a bit of their consideration because I think I'm a player who needs to feel that I'm really wanted. And as it was the end of the season, I didn't have much time to think. They were back in the league much earlier than us. It might have been the end of June, and we'd be back in action a week later, so I couldn't wait two weeks. So I said to myself, come on, I'm going!"
Didn't you originally want to leave France?
"I really wanted to make my mark in France, to show that I could play for several years at that level and so on. But I think you also have to seize the opportunities that come your way. And I don't regret it at all. And I think it was a very good thing for me, in the end."
And you made up your mind just like that?
"In one day. I had the appointment with them on Saturday and on Sunday evening or Monday morning, I gave my answer. I said yes. And in between I was already thinking about whether I was going to go and how I was going to manage it. And then I moved in five days, by car. It took so long, but I don't regret it because I think it's easier to have your own car."
Wasn't it too difficult to leave Brittany?
I didn't have time to say to myself, I'm leaving France, I'm leaving my family... I've always told myself that even though I'm very, very close to my family, that would never stop me from doing things for football. Because a career is a short one, and it's a real break in your life where you get to see lots of things. Of course, it was hard at first. When I arrived here, there were one or two days when I wondered what I was doing here. But with the phone and the video, you manage better. My father came to visit me, that's good too.
"They also take care of us in the sense that as soon as we had three days free, a weekend without a match, they gave us four days because they know there are a lot of foreign players and they make sure we can go home. I was able to go home once, and my father came along. That made for a few mini-breaks. And then I'm going home at Christmas, so it goes by quickly. In real terms, it's fine."
"The Champions League? It's not that I'd written it off..."
You were talking about the argument of playing in the Champions League. I imagine it's a dream for you to play in such a competition.
"When I was younger, or even when I was 15-16 and I knew that maybe I had what it takes to be a professional, you always had dreams of saying to yourself: I want to play in the Champions League, I want to play in the French team, and so on.
"But it's true that because of my particular career path... It's not that I'd written it off because I wasn't ambitious any more, but it's that I thought I was quite lucid about myself and that at some point you also see your level and that it's not a big deal to say to yourself today that I don't have the level for that. It's true that I never expected to play in the Champions League, and this is incredible. It's a unique opportunity and I don't even think I realise it yet.
Was the play-off perhaps a stressful time for you?
"Of course it was. But I think there was more excitement than stress. After that, there's always a bit of pre-match pressure. But I was thinking more 'enjoy the moment'. It was perhaps my only chance to play in the Champions League and so on. The fact that we have some experienced players in our team helped us build up our confidence."
Now you'll be back with OL Lyonnes, whom you played in the Premier League, is that a change?
"Yes, definitely. After that, I was hoping we wouldn't be drawn against any French teams because I already know them, and when you play in the Champions League you want to play against other teams. But in the end it's the Champions League, you don't really care, you play against all the teams. It's great! I think it's going to be strange to play Lyon when I'm no longer in a French team, but it's going to be cool all the same. And what's more, we're playing in the big stadium (at Groupama Stadium), so that's great too."
I imagine that some of your friends and family will be coming too...
"Unfortunately not many, because I come from Nantes and Lyon is a long way away. Especially as the match is during the week, so everyone's working. I've got a few friends who are going to try and come, and that would be really great. But I know it's complicated for them to come in the middle of the week, it's an eight-hour drive or even one hour by plane... If it had been Paris, it might have been a bit easier."
Did you watch the Lyon games at the start of the season?
"Yes, I did. Not all, to be honest, but it's true that I still follow the D1 a lot because I like it, I've got friends who play, and I always want to follow it closely. We've watched a few games too, of course, because they're our opponents, but I don't know what more to say. They're really, really strong."
And what weapons do you think St Polten have at their disposal to give the OL Lyonnes a bit of a challenge?
"I think we have a style in Austria that's a bit more aggressive than in France. We've got nothing to lose in this match, so I think we'll try to annoy them, put away the first goal as much as we can and then see if we can use our weapons to cause them problems. I don't think we'll be going there just with Lyon in mind. We're going to try to put our own game in place, adapting to their strengths. Because you can't deny that they have the best players in the world in their team. But with our collective strength, I think we can try to annoy them a bit."
"We've got nothing to lose
If we look at your schedule, you'll also be playing Chelsea, AS Roma and Juventus...
"Our first objective was to qualify. Now we're not just going there to say, 'I've played in the Champions League'. But I think we're in the position of outsiders with nothing to lose. But that doesn't mean we're going to let the teams beat us. We want to at least try not to have any regrets. If there were stronger teams than us, there are just stronger teams than us and we have to accept that."
You mentioned that you'd lost your dream of playing in the Champions League. Is that something to do with your years of hardship, when you were struck by injury after injury?
"I'm not someone who looks back, to be honest. You're telling me this now, so obviously I can tell myself that it's proof of all my hard work, that I deserved it because I stuck at it and did everything I could to come back. But I have no regrets about anything. It was a very difficult time, but when I look back I'm just proud of how far I've come. It was my road and today I'm here for a reason. And yes, it's also a message of hope, even if there aren't many people who know me, that nothing is over and that, with determination, you can always get through anything. So yes, of course, it's a bit of a revenge."
What was it like for you, going through all those injuries in quick succession?
"Yeah, it was really hard, to be honest. On the third, I thought for a day about stopping. Because at a certain point, you also wonder whether your body can withstand another operation, whether you're strong enough to take on another operation, another rehabilitation... Are you going to get back to your level?
"Because you never know what might happen, and so on. But I think I have the character to switch back and forth quite quickly. Besides, I loved football too much. I couldn't see my life without football. I think that if I'd struggled a lot during the first two crosses, if I'd never found my level again, I would have stopped. I wouldn't have had the strength. But the fact that I've been well surrounded, that I've always had the support of my family, my friends, the club, everyone, well, that gives you strength too. So, yes, three crosses in three years were difficult times, but now they've made me the person I am."
And you don't live with the fear of doing another one?
No, I never do. I've always said that if I go out on the pitch after an injury and I'm scared, I'll stop. I can't honestly play with fear, it's one of the worst feelings you can have. I'm also glad I don't have that feeling, otherwise I would have stopped. Now it's October, I've been back for almost a year to the day and I've been lucky enough to finally get back to my level quite quickly. I've had my lows too, because that's how it always is with an injury: as soon as you start again, you're euphoric, you're up there, you've got the energy, and then it all goes downhill again because you still have to take it all in. It's often said that it takes a year or two to get back to your level, and I find that by doing it again and again, I feel better. I really feel like I'm on the right track and back to my best.
"I still have a few aches and pains that can come along"
Do you feel injury-free?
"Well, yes and no, because despite everything, I still have a few aches and pains. I'm not rid of them in the sense that, when you're seriously injured like that, you have to live with it. You're not the same player any more. It means you have to do more preparation off the pitch, you have to pay more attention to detail, but for me, it's not a burden. You have to live with it, you have to adapt, but that's OK."
You were just saying that you're getting back to your level. If we look at the games now, we get the impression that you're already an important part of the club, you've already had the captain's armband...
"I couldn't have wished for anything better. When I first arrived, it was a bit difficult with the language, adapting to the style of play, the conditions and so on. But within a week or two, I was feeling really good. And I know that I owe a lot of that to the team, the club and the environment. I was lucky enough to score in the friendlies, and for an attacking player, that obviously gives you confidence. That allowed me to string together games and a string of performances. It all went a bit smoothly for me. After that, football is sometimes about opportunities, luck and good times. And let's just say that I managed to catch the right moment, the right wagon. Today, I feel really fulfilled, as if I'd been here for a long time."
Are you a technical leader, perhaps?
"I've always been a bit of a verbal leader, because I'm comfortable in public. You have a lot of different personalities in the dressing room, and every dressing room needs different personalities. I haven't been captain much in my career, and it's not necessarily a goal for me, to be honest. But I've always had that natural ability to try and encourage. I like to talk. It also helps me to be in my game.
"I think the fact that I was quick to speak up and quickly integrated with the girls helped them to think of me as a captain. Even though I was captain, it was also because there were a lot of players absent. I was really pleased that they thought of me, and it also gave me confidence for the future. I was very proud to be captain of a foreign team, but having the armband or not won't change anything about my personality, which is naturally like that."
"Women's football is changing"
Quite a few players from the French league have gone abroad this summer. Is that something you understand?
"It's true that this summer has been quite special because a lot of foreign players have arrived in France and a lot of French players have gone abroad. Inevitably, there were economic difficulties, and I think that a lot of players were a little fed up with the emphasis being put on that, with hearing the same things over and over again.
"I also think that there are a lot of players in my case who didn't necessarily have many opportunities in France, and when you have an opportunity abroad, you know that it's an opportunity you have to seize because it's also part of your job. I think we're curious to see what it's like, just as I think some foreign players are curious to come to France. Women's football is changing, there are more openings, more transfers. Because with the boys, in the end, it's very widespread, a lot of players go abroad, and a lot of foreigners come to France."
And among those who have arrived at Sankt Pölten this summer is Agathe Olivier, your former team-mate at Guingamp. How important is it to have another Frenchwoman in the dressing room with you?
"She signed before me, so she didn't know I was coming. On the other hand, when I had to make my decision, I knew that she had already signed. So it's true that it's reassuring because you know that you're not really arriving alone, that you'll always have support, especially as we already knew each other from before.
"But I think I would still have made the same decision even if there hadn't been a French woman. And I didn't want us to just rely on each other either, because then you get locked in. But I think we managed it really well. We've really managed to open up to others and not just keep to ourselves as Frenchwomen. But it's true that it's really good to have a break and sometimes just talk without thinking."
Technically, how would you define yourself as a player?
"I'm a technical player with a good vision of the game and, above all, I'm very combative. I really enjoy close matches. It's often said that the cliché of a technical player with a good vision of the game is that you don't really like duels and that sort of thing, but I like that too. I'm a bit of a jack of all trades."
Particularly as you're having to make a bit of an impact in duels, given what you've said about the Austrian championship.
"Of course, now we understand Lyon's position a little bit. Because in reality, most of the teams Lyon play in France stay in their own half of the pitch. And that's what's happening to me right now. So you have more duels and longer balls to deal with. So it's different, but it's cool because it helps me to progress."
Do you see yourself staying in Austria?
"I'm still someone who lives from day to day. I don't really plan ahead. But right now, based on the way I'm feeling, I see the possibility of staying. After that, you can never predict, it's impossible. You never know what opportunities you're going to get, what's going to happen in your life too... But at the moment, yes, I can see myself here and above all I'm very happy to be here."
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