Girondins de Bordeaux. “I know I will never recover my money”: Interview with Gérard Lopez

At the end of the DNCG, Gérard Lopez had promised: “Nothing today, but we will talk to each other tomorrow”. In addition, Word held with an improvised phone call at 8 am. Moreover, The Girondins president-owner appreciated the two favorable decisions of the commercial court (on his continuation plan). Similarly, the DNCG (on the 2025/2026 budget in National 2). Consequently, “We were still confident. Meanwhile, We have been working on all this for months. In addition, the teams have invested a lot, and there are rules and laws that we have respected. In addition, »»

What guided you in the development of this continuation plan?

We first looked at the errors made by our predecessors and us. Moreover, I should probably have passed through the receivership as soon as the Ligue 2 is descended (in 2022). For example, the following girondins de bordeaux. “i know year after the unmontracyed. For example, Well, it would have been an outcry not possible in both cases but we might have finished in National. Additionally, For example, The reimbursement of 10 % (for most creditors) is applied to many plans. Meanwhile, Then, we worked on further financial stability, which does not depend on the sales of players. Moreover, Our structure is very cleaned in terms of debts (remaining 26 million) and operating costs.

But do you understand that this may cause to see these more than 400 creditors forced to give up. For example, 90 % of the sum due to them?

The objective is to go back to Ligue 1, which would make the reimbursement go to 30 %. Nevertheless, In compulsory liquidation, it would have been 0. Moreover, Last year, in France, there were 66,000 bankruptcies. Therefore, In Girondins, there is no one other than me. However, girondins de bordeaux. “i know Neither in 2021 nor this year. Meanwhile, All those who have “opened” it. Similarly, elected officials, ex-players, they are nowhere, have never done anything, have not put a euro. Therefore, They pushed investors who had nothing. For example, Oliver Kahn made a verbal offer of 30 million. For example, a letter of intent of 15 million which had no meaning and he withdrew a few days later by saying that he had 50. Meanwhile, Another group (Arkin) found himself before the financial prosecution because it is undoubtedly fraud. In addition, In short. In addition, as much as I can understand that we do not accept that we are in National 2, as much I am quite frightened by the analyzes that I can read on the right to the left. Meanwhile, It was absolutely necessary to make this receivership. For example, The plan was voted by 70 % of creditors girondins de bordeaux. “i know with 10 favorable classes out of 15. Furthermore, That is reality, not X or Instagram.

You have been talking about an opening to capital for years. However, This time, we are talking about local entrepreneurs. However, Where are you?

The receivership allows us to create a clean platform to have serious discussions. For example, When I see the number of mythos who have contacted us in the past three years … Moreover, What we want. Meanwhile, by for me but for the club, are local investors who come for the project and who want to help, to give their opinion. Meanwhile, I respect that. Moreover, A priori. there are five of them, bring amounts which are a real effort for them but which do not represent a big percentage of the club. Then, if someone most important wants to join the project …

It really exists, people who want to girondins de bordeaux. “i know invest massively in Girondins in N2?

Of course. We look up and have a cleaned assessment. At the start of this summer, I sat with three investors I know via other things. They don’t want to take control of the club, they are not operators. But you have to be aligned with what you want to do. If someone arrives, offers a high amount to explode the budget each season, we will not take. Because in two-three years, if it does not work sportingly, we will still find ourselves in a catastrophic situation. Our plan is to pay debt over ten years, to aim for a climb every two years. But let’s wait to see what’s going on this year to decide.

If no one comes, can you assume alone?

Absolutely.

In April, in the ultramarines, you said you were open to any credible redemption proposal. Is the club Vendable, girondins de bordeaux. “i know in N2 and, with everything, 26 million debts to assume?

First of all, the ultras are not pro-livez, they are pro-club. Even if we are not always agreeing, there is mutual respect between us, I appreciate their passion. I was honest by telling them that there will be no buyout offer in one, two or three years. A sale in the next few years, it seems rather utopian to me. There is an economic reality: money for football is not really in Europe. rather in the United States and the Middle East. From a distance, these people are very little intended to manage. It is more realistic that someone comes to support a team already in place rather than taking care of everything.

Your continuation plan evokes the establishment of a strategic committee. which recalls the 1881 committee whose relevance has proven to be very relative …

We had given girondins de bordeaux. “i know super clear tracks and nothing was done except on the side of Arnaud de Carli. The quality of the people who make up this kind of group is important. We have already identified some. It can allow us to have a network to inform closer to or think together. There is a job to do on the room. We recently participated in an event with a hundred potential partners. It also concerns relations with local clubs, the social component, which can be done around the stadium …

The question of the stadium – Girondins de bordeaux. "i know

If Gérard Lopez spoke of “some above -ground elected officials” at the town hall. he has insisted several times on the “respect” he has for “the president of the metropolis (Christine Bost) and his teams”, who “are sensible people” with whom the Girondins “have worked well”, “even if I understand that they voted against the plan” which girondins de bordeaux. “i know crushes 85 % of the 20 million unpaid rents.
The community. however, agreed to rent the stadium to the club for next season, with an annual rent of 1 million euros “determined by a ministerial circular” recalls Lopez, and evolving over the divisions. The plan evokes a possible resumption within two to three of the operation. returned to the metropolis since the SBA manager put the key under the door. “We can start by helping to find a naming (the contract with the Matmut stops on July 31). Then I have relationships with the biggest world concert promoter. We want the stadium tool to be used as best as possible. If we can bring our stone to the building … “

Let’s talk about sports. After the fourth place of the past season. did you ask yourself the maintenance of coach Bruno Irles and the sports director John Williams?

Of course. girondins de bordeaux. “i know When you are first and you do not go up, it is a disappointment. We thought things. The quality of one and the other is not questioned. We wondered if we were able to take up the challenge, the answer is yes. The coach knows football very well. is motivated, managed to lead the team to a first place last season without having created a particular style of play or a strong seat. Somewhere, this is normal with a team mounted in a few days. Given the final record, I asked him questions, he gave me his answers. We passed the DNCG in the first round so we will no longer have an apology. We will announce players, make a real preparation. Furthermore, We will no longer be able to hide: we play the climb, only the climb.

For John Williams, that means that very average players at 5000 or girondins de bordeaux. “i know 10,000 euros per month, is it no longer possible?

John was not present last season because he was a consultant and still linked with Amiens. This season, it will be full time and its reinforced presence. You refer to Etienne Beugre. The coach had a very specific profile request in January. We had to make a choice. The player was not received as it was necessary by certain teammates. his integration was not easy and we did not have the expected result.

But we take all our responsibilities: the choice of the player, the wages proposed and the validation. For next season. we will not leave the scale (5000 euros per maximum month) except in exceptional cases and agreement of the entire management. Arnaud Saint-André (the director general) will be a compulsory crossing point for this kind of thing.

Everything brings back to the summer of 2023: coach. sports director girondins de bordeaux. “i know maintained after a failed final sprint, big means, assembled announced as objective …

Yes, but the parallel does not hold because it is not the same people in 2023. When you change the human, you change everything. The results will speak. I exchanged at length with the coach and the sports director, we convinced each other. 75 to 80 % of the workforce will be replaced. change even more would have been an error when we understood how the N2 works.

What if you don’t go up? The three scenarios of your plan provide an accession to the National next summer …

It adds a year. And frustration. If you don’t go up, you will have to know why. Financially I will assume. At this level, nothing to do with the past.

After your first four years at the head of the club. are you convinced of being the man girondins de bordeaux. “i know who can bring the Girondins back to Ligue 1?

Absolutely. We had a sporting descent and the rest is financial. Partly of my fact, but not only. In any case, I want to be the right person for the club. I take my responsibilities. I want to give what they deserve to those who believe in this project.

Basically, after these four years of failure, these now 62 million euros engulfed, why do you stay?

I know that it will shock. but hey, the morons run after cars or who throw things on families at the stadium … (reference to the North Gate, editor’s note). I want to put the club back on good rails. To give people who come to the stadium what they want to see – I also talked about it. with Bruno Irles.

For my part, there is no ego. I do not exist socially as girondins de bordeaux. “i know president of the Girondins. My life is 95 % in a world where this function does not interest anyone. I am a mental football patient, I look at six or seven games a week. It’s like a drug. I vibrate in N2. I also have a sense of responsibility. And if I couldn’t afford it, I wouldn’t do it.

But put 9 million in a N2 club, in the background, does it make no sense, if?

Passion does not make sense. If she had it, it wouldn’t be a passion.

Do you still have fun with the Girondins?

Yes (smile). Before and during the matches, I still have the ball in the stomach. I scream when we mark. It’s a drug. This is the only reason I do. The most disgusting is to say that I do this for financial reasons. While I know full well that I will never girondins de bordeaux. “i know recover my money. It is a certainty.