MHR: Bernard Laporte “will not be deputy president”, “Doumayrou, Paillaugue and Caudullo, a complete staff of Montpellier residents”, Mohed Altrad takes stock

Le président du MHR a fait le point. Jules Poquet

This Tuesday, at the end of the afternoon, in Vic-la-Gardiole (between Montpellier and Sète) just before the MHR end-of-season Garden Party, President Mohed Altrad spoke to return to the season of his club but also look forward to the next

"The club is in crisis even if things are better since Sunday's victory", says the president of the MHR , to introduce this press conference to close the season. An hour before his players, staff, employees and their families arrived at Mas Neuf to celebrate the end of the season, the boss of the Cistes answered questions from journalists after a short introduction.

"You must be lenient towards us, We are a young club, compared to certain century-old clubs with traditions.

Sunday, I saw a Grenoble team which played this match with a level of intensity and aggressiveness above average than ;rsquo;we see in Top 14. We were lucky that in the end they were burned.

Montpellier has always been a bit of an unwanted child, a little more so since I was here. I am a support to the club but also a liability."

Will Bernard Laporte be deputy president next season, as expected ?

He will not be deputy president, he remains director of rugby. He is not there to coach, but to bring his considerable experience. He was a player then a coach then a coach and finally secretary of state.

Why did you separate from Collazo, Etcheto and Labit?

They came with a special mission. I will not return to the Cockerill episode, the current has not flowed. They came, they did everything they could, they succeeded and I thank them

Who will replace them?

Bernard Laporte brings his vision of the game, on the game system, tactics…

We kept Antoine Battut, Didier Bès, Benson Stanley, Jérémy Valls, we add to this Benoit Paillaugue, Geoffrey Doumayrou and Joan Caudullo. A full staff of Montpellier residents. Joan Caudullo will be the head coach, it’s a big challenge. In the current situation, I take responsibility. I am no longer as present as before, I am only there on match days but I will try to be more present.

Will an inexperienced staff have time?

Every year there are 3 or 4 clubs that change staff, why focus on the MHR ? Toulon it’s the same thing. Let's take a look at the history of coach changes in other clubs…

Since I've been here, we've been to the final three times, over the last 12 years, a lot of times in the top four, in the Top 6. We've won two Challenge Cups. Today is a period of crisis but we have always had results.

Do you hope that this very Montpellier staff will bring people to the stadium??

To create a club, you don't do it in 30 years, you need an audience. For me the public of Montpellier, in terms of demonstrations, of support, it does not exist. Compared to Brive, Grenoble or Castres and so on…It's one of the essentials. We don't have a 16th man in Montpellier. This is one of the criteria that made me choose this choice.

How will the new staff be organized, in the distribution of roles ?

Didier Bes will remain in charge of the scrum, Antoine Battut, the touchline, mauls and forward play, Benson Stanley will take charge of the ground game. As for Benoit Paillaugue he will be in charge of the attack, Geoffrey Doumayrou the defense. Finally Jérémy Valls will keep the game in check.

What did you say to the players after Toulouse, when they requested an interview with you, in particular to talk about the Bernard Laporte case?

That they weren't up to the task. They say they are attached to the institution, but lose matches when we have a chance of winning them. It’s paradoxical.

If a rugby director has to say things, he says them. Perhaps we spoiled the players too much and were too kind to them .

Does this new staff aim to be champion?

Life is about building and rebuilding, working. To learn the lessons of this season, the important thing is to look to the future.

Do you still aim to buy GGL Stadium ?

I lost in the elections, it was in June 2020, I went to see Michaël Delafosse. It was among his campaign promises to transfer public infrastructure to rugby and football before December 2020…

However, the latter admitted some time ago in Midi Libre that he was waiting for a return from you ?

He lies.