Philippe Violeau rarely makes the headlines, but the veteran midfielder has quietly developed into one of the most important cogs in Guy Roux’s young machine.

Violeau is an unfussy player. He goes about his job in the middle of the park - closing down opponents and playing simple passes to one of his younger, more mobile, teammates – without catching the eye of the supporters.

Recently described by one French journalist as a poor man’s Didier Deschamps, the 34-year-old’s professional attitude is certainly reminiscent of the former France skipper. And while Violeau may not have the Champions’ League and World Cup medals to match Deschamps’ collection, he too has enjoyed great success in his career.

Born in Niort in 1970, Violeau played for his local club for five years before Auxerre boss Guy Roux snapped him up in 1993. He played a vital part in Auxerre’s remarkable rise in the 1990s, which culminated in the League and Cup double in 1996. He won two more French titles and the Coupe de la Ligue with Lyon, whom he joined in 1997, before returning to the Stade de l’Abbé Deschamps in August 2003.

Roux has built his reputation on developing exciting young talent. The current team is full of potential stars of the future, but it is the steadying influence of players like Violeau that knits the team together. “My consistency has always been the most important part of my game,” Violeau said in March 2005. “I may be 34 but I still feel very fit and I’m not having any trouble coping with the fixture pile-up.”

In 2004/05 Roux agreed to let Finnish midfielder Teemu Tainio leave for Tottenham in the summer, whilst tying Violeau down to a one-year extension.