“I don’t know how to do Louis Nicollin”, “we’re going to have to squeeze our butts to the end”: big interview with the president of the MHSC Laurent Nicollin

“We are in a complicated period, we have to raise our heads and pull our fingers out of our ass to get the job,” urges Laurent Nicollin. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

Less present in the media this season, president Laurent Nicollin gave a long interview to Midi Libre at a time when the MHSC is preparing to play for its survival in L1. A fight in eight acts which begins this Sunday March 31 in Le Havre.

You were hoping to have a quiet season after the last two difficult ones. It’s grated. How do you experience it?

Indeed. That’s how it is, that’s football. The Clermont match (interrupted for a firecracker in the 91st minute at 4-2 in favor of MHSC, October 8, Editor's note) did a lot of damage to minds and bodies. We started a season which could have been very positive after that match. We found ourselves in a more complicated situation on a psychological level. We must ignore, we must try to move forward.

Don’t you have the impression that the players may have had a tendency to hide behind this excuse?

This is not hiding, as we can say that Laurent Nicollin is also hiding behind this. That’s just the truth of things. If we win on the evening of Clermont, we are in 6th place. We're not hiding, but some kind of stupid idiot is changing the season for us.

Today, it’s maintenance. I said it in December that we would play it safe. I may not be a great or good president, but I have been here for thirty years and I know a little about the workings of football. We are in a complicated period, we have to raise our heads and pull our fingers out of our ass to get the support.

We are worried about finishing 16th, 12th or 9th, the whole point is to be in Ligue 1.

Is everything decided in April in your opinion, during these five matches against competitors (Le Havre from Sunday then Lorient, Clermont, Reims and Nantes) ?

There are eight matches left in which everyone wants to take points. This is where we need to find a certain solidarity between us and with people. During the three home matches (Lorient, Nantes and Monaco), people have to respond and support us. We have to come together as one, as we have been able to do during the last matches.

League 1 ranking

Perhaps it will be necessary to play the maintenance or the “barrage” in Lens, on the last day. The staff and the team are ready for that. We talked about it. We don't care about finishing 16th, 12th or 9th, the whole point is to be in Ligue 1. But we must not believe that because our name is Montpellier, we will win 3-0 at Le Havre or beat Lorient. That would be a big mistake.

For my little heart, I hope it will be well before Monaco or Lens. Considering the results, we're going to have to tighten our butts until the end.

“Making-of”

"We'll see after Paris." Several weeks ago, the text message from Laurent Nicollin in response to Our repeated requests were a first meeting. Despite the heavy defeat against PSG (2-6), the meeting took place. Last Monday, at the Verchant estate where ù he has his habits, the president of Montpellier received Midi Librefor two hours of interview. Between oysters and sole, the Hérault boss has hammered home a message: "Maintenance above all else." Without forgetting to encourage the MHSC volleyball players before their Coupe de France final.

You recently spoke to the group. Do you feel a lack of awareness of the risks ?

It's not that something was missing. I intervene when I think it is necessary to speak. This is my feeling. I had to talk to my players. What I said is between them and me. Item.

Also read: Before Nice, Laurent Nicollin calls for mobilization

I gave a presidential speech to the players to take the maximum points during the Nice and PSG matches. I was not good because I had set the bar at four points. But the victory in Nice still feels good.

We shouldn't do the dams or go down for a point. Instead of crying on May 18, we must react before.

The MHSC is therefore engaged in the fight to maintain eight days from the end of the season. A first for you since you took office, alone, in 2017. Do you consider it a personal failure ?

We always question ourselves. If there wasn't some asshole who threw a firecracker…hellip; Maybe it's my fault there's this idiot? There you go, it's my fault.

Without that, we would be ranked alongside Reims. You would tell us: "You are up and down, you play up or down ?" (ironic)… Unconsciously, this had an impact on the staff and the players. It’s a double punishment: we are deprived of the three victory points and another point in the standings. We should not do the dams or go down for a point. Instead of crying on May 18, we must react before.

For three years, this team has had very highs and very lows. How do you explain it?

There may be things to review. Let's hang on and we'll see what we have to see for next season. There was a period with (Olivier) Dall’Oglio, there was a dynamic with Michel (Der Zakarian), which was broken with the Clermont  match: they are not the same situations, these are not the same cases for me.

But as soon as a grain of sand gets into the machine, the dynamic collapses. Why ?

Maybe, maybe…

Since you have been president, you have had a very stable period for four years. For three years, everything has been more complicated. Should we draw certain lessons from this ?

We will draw from it when we have obtained maintenance. We will then have another speech, another discussion and perhaps other things to put in place for next season. But the absolute priority is to make common cause and ensure maintenance.

We are in great danger, we must do everything on our side to take as many points as possible as soon as possible.

Mediatically, I don't give a damn. I don’t have to tell you what I do or what I don’t do. I settled the Sakho case in my own way.

With hindsight, did the Mamadou Sakho affair also shake the group ?

Sakho's case may have caused certain things to happen to certain players. I don’t know anything about it. No one came to see me to defend Mamadou. If we are in 6th place, there is no Sakho story. When we win, the one who doesn't play shuts his mouth. That’s how it is. Quite simply. But Mamadou's story did not help the team and the club to feel whole.

At the time, you preferred not to comment on this matter. Why didn't you step up to the plate?

Step up to the plate ? It’I was the one who fixed the problem. Mediatically, I don’t give a damn. I don’t have to tell you what I do or what I don’t do. I resolved the Sakho case in my own way, and there was no response anywhere. I do not need to write an article in L’Équipe or Midi Libre to say how we resolved the Sakho case.

But you gave the feeling of taking a step back in the media…

I have no interest in talking. Why, for the idiots on social networks ? They believe that if you don't speak, you don't do anything. I do things without telling the press, and fortunately, otherwise it would be dramatic.

I don't wash dirty laundry in front of everyone. I preserve my club, my staff and my players.

In such a situation, wasn't a voice missing to step up to the plate ? Do you hear certain criticisms  ?

I hear everything. But I don't wash dirty laundry in front of everyone. I preserve my club, my staff and my players. We resolved the Sakho problem in an intelligent way with the player. I know what it cost me, I know what I did.

The less you talk, the better. I'm going to speak to the press. So that Sakho responds? You like that: one speaks, the other responds. And so on.

In fact, if I hear the criticism, I have to be Louis Nicollin. I don't know how to make Louis Nicollin, I make Laurent Nicollin. I do things in-house, that's all. For the moment, I prefer to make the players and staff face their responsibilities by telling them things face to face.

“We make do with what we have but I am very happy with the support of the people present at La Mosson,” says Laurent Nicollin. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

This season we have seen tennis player Arthur Cazaux, director Jean-Baptiste Durand and comedian Paul Mirabel express sincere love. Does this prove that the MHSC continues to arouse a real outpouring of sympathy in the absence of packed platforms ?

There are people in the city who love their club. We are a young club, which will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary next year. We are not a century-old club, we have a dormitory town. Few people were born in Montpellier. But we can rely on a core. I would like to have more people at the stadium. We make do with what we have but I am very happy with the support of the people present at La Mosson.

This year, we will have the 16th or 17th attendance in Ligue 1. This sometimes puts a damper on morale. But at least those who come love you.

Is the Montpellier audience difficult to capture ?

I don't know. When it’s summer, he goes to the beach. When winter comes, it’s too cold. When the match is at 1 p.m., it doesn't suit him. When they want to come, like against Paris, there are people. When we host Lille, when we have 11,000 spectators, you ask yourself questions. Yet we have the lowest prices in France. Either we're really not good, or the tool is obsolete, that's all. I don't even say it anymore because I feel like I'm pissing in a violin.

Every year, we struggle with our services. This year, we will have the 16th or 17th attendance in Ligue 1. This sometimes puts a damper on morale. But at least those who come love you. Of course, if the others don't come, it's not the fault of the stadium, its dilapidation. It’s the fault of Nicollin, who is incompetent.

When you see neighboring Toulouse succeed in attracting new audiences. Do you say to yourself that there is room to do much more??

With the Stadium, Toulouse has the tools, we don’t have it. Even when it rains, the rain passes through, it’s very good… Then Toulouse is on the rise, has a stadium rebuilt for Euro 2016, has wineries and is doing a great job.

We are going to stay at La Paillade, we are going to stay there for ten years. Everything is beautiful, everything is pink.

At the same time, there is a form of discontent that manifests itself. Do you feel it ?

When we win, we are the prettiest and strongest. Everything is excessive. And now… It’s human. Should we listen to 15,000 spectators who regularly come to the stadium? Or fifteen or twenty people who constantly criticize?

There are plenty of parameters to take into account, notably the Clermont match. It’is too easy to say : "We move on"  ; You don't move on by snapping your fingers. This hurt, it must be said and repeated. I, first of all, didn't think it would have hurt so much.

People at the club were hit. But it’s not the fault of communications or marketing if we don’ win the matches.

You mention social networks. Don't we give them too much importance?

I already can't sleep (from the situation), if I also have to look at social networks to be insulted all day…hellip; I have two addresses. One at the SMN (Mediterranean Cleaning Society) until noon, then at the club. If there is a problem, you come to the club and we talk. If we are supposedly incompetent, we can argue. People at the club were affected. But it’s not the fault of communications or marketing if we don’t win the matches. We try to do the best possible with the 11th or 12th budget in Ligue 1. We may be a small club, for some.

For my part, this does not prevent me from working with Carotti or Mézy to prepare the team for next season. I don’t stop at social networks, that would be dramatic.

Recently, the Ultras of Butte Paillade have called for sacred union. Are you happy about it ?

Before Metz, I had contact with the people of La Butte to tell them that we had to make common cause and move forward together. We will have time in July to say to ourselves that this or that thing is not suitable. For now, we need sacred union to the end. We saw him in front of Metz or in front of Paris, even if we took a big beating in the face.

I've always had dealings with them. In front of Metz, all the historic supporters were there.

During this season, the African Cup of Nations and the Asian Cup particularly impacted the MHSC (6 players). Were they sufficiently anticipated ?

We anticipated it to the extent that we took Tanguy (Coulibaly) or Silvan (Hefti). We made up for any shortcomings we may have had. We tried to do our best in a complicated and demanding championship. We tried to compensate and prepare for the next seasons. Hefti is a good right back. Tanguy will show that he has abilities.

It's complicated for a player who trained alone to start again with a group. He has a lot of qualities and will show it.

Last year, we knew we had to take players. We were in a more complicated situation due to a mental problem in the group.

Maxime Estève is a kid who is trained at the club, who claims to love it and who wants to leave for a few euros more, I'm not going to war with that. I was disappointed.

Last year, you selected Maxime Estève. Not this season. Why ?

It wasn’t me who decided. When a player calls you every day saying: "I want to leave, I'm going to earn so much per month"&hellip ; For me, he wasn't leaving: the English wanted a player without paying anything or paying in August. Maxime broke my balls. We ended up letting him go.

He's a kid who is trained at the club, who claims to love it and who wants to leave for a few euros more, I'm not going to war with that. I was disappointed. For me, he was supposed to leave in June. We received an amount that we wouldn't have had at that time, I have to be honest. But it wasn't me who pushed for that. rsquo;he is leaving.

Also read:MHSC defender Maxime Estève officially joins Burnley and England

If it's up to me, he's still with us. When you are an international Espoir and you are 21 years old, it is perhaps better to stay in your training club and find a club of another caliber. But I respect his choice.

Maxime is a worrier by nature and with each offer, he wanted to leave for financial peace. But if, like Joris (Chotard), you play 150 matches in L1, you will inevitably have clubs.

Despite the situation, are you able to project yourself ?

As long as we do not have the support, we cannot put things in place. With Bruno (Carotti), we have ideas but… For the moment, I only have one scenario in mind. There will be a second one if there is a cataclysm.

Before Mediapro, the club's structural deficit varied between 10 and 15 million euros. Since then, it has doubled to between 25 and 30 M€.

Do TV rights affect your medium-term projects ?

This determines a lot of things, but I don't yet have the amount of TV rights (under negotiation between the LFP and the broadcasters, Editor's note). Depending, we will have to sell two or four players to balance the budget.

Before Mediapro, the club's structural deficit varied between 10 and 15 million euros. Since then, it has doubled to between 25 and 30 million euros. I therefore have to sell because I have no revenue from the stadium, nor any other income. We're coming back to the way we were before, we need to bring out young people. If we had the stadium, we would generate profits to reduce this deficit. There will come a time when we will play it safe.

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