Stade Louis-Nicollin, GGL Stadium, new handball room, the three thorns in the side of the mayor of Montpellier Michaël Delafosse

Faithful to the spirit of the times, Michaël Delafosse says he wants to bring about a new era for Montpellier sport. Midi Libre – MICHAEL ESDOURRUBAILH

TICKET: Under the spotlight, time is running out as the city's clubs regress, victims – among others – aging and commercially unusable infrastructure. Football (MHSC), rugby (MHR), handball (MHB), Michaël Delafosse’s three hot topics.

A small-time sportsman, a ball-player, a stranger to the customs of the professional world, Michaël Delafosse ? Three times yes, which does not prevent him from wetting his shirt with authority to defend a vision heir to the Frêchist paradigm of the 80s, minus the holidays with Nicollin.

This is because the mayor of Montpellier is keen on the flashiness of a slogan that has flourished for over thirty years: “Montpellier, the largest sports city in France”. In the interview he gave us after several months of waiting, the councilor arranged to meet at the Phlippidès stadium, symbol of the Olympic torch relay and its popular excitement, event know-how strongly claimed by the City.

Bringing a new era

Faithful to the spirit of the times, Michaël Delafosse says he wants to initiate a new era, resolutely focused on emerging sports (Fise, table tennis, futsal…), l’ hosting international competitions and selections, the promotion of budding champions (the Lebrun brothers, Arthur Cazaux…), all packaged in the service of "the’general interest&quot ; and access to sport praised by the population.

By combining happening, youthism and spectacle, “Montpeul” is banking on an ever more dynamic reputation, the essential face of sport in France. The future would therefore look triumphant. Game, set and match.

The three behemoths are impatient to move up a gear by being the master builders of their enclosure

Except that under the spotlight time is running out, because the city's lighthouses are regressing, victims – among others – aging and commercially unusable infrastructure. The MHB will lose its totem man Patrice Canayer and is cramped at Bougnol, the MHR is only 80 minutes away from relegation to the lower division, the MHSC is there promised by flirting with, to name only the three behemoths.

Their common point is being impatient to move up a gear by being the project managers of their enclosure. But the fog is in order, while the models have been on the table for years.

Between endless procedures, protracted negotiations and galloping inflation, no groundbreaking has yet been given for the Louis-Nicollin football stadium or the new showcase for Julien Deljarry's handball players, while on the rugby side, Mohed Altrad would like to buy the GGL Stadium in vain.

Watch for the boomerang's return

Three complex files for the socialist mayor of Montpellier, who claims to work in favor of all projects, but "not under any conditions&quot ;.

Although the weak supporting passion does not put pressure on anyone, the accumulated delay risks one day hitting like a boomerang the flap of the seventh city in France which, for once, would pay for his absence of modernity. A height.

Pugnacious and determined, Michaël Delafosse aspires to satisfy this “rocker 2.0” who would remove the thorns from his side, but without denying his convictions or deviating from his ambitions. The ball is in the court of presidents, who will all have to make concessions. In sport as elsewhere, politics is never far away.