“The story is beautiful”: the first words of Erick Mathé who will succeed Patrice Canayer at the head of the MHB in June 2024

Avec son arrivée au MHB, Erick Mathé ne devrait pas poursuivre l'aventure avec les Bleus. Midi Libre – MICHAEL ESDOURRUBAILH

Avant même de s'exprimer en conférence de presse ce vendredi 27 octobre à 17 h, Erick Mathé a répondu aux questions de Midi Libre.

Comment vous sentez-vous ?

I'm a little drained. It was long, a month and a half of negotiations. It’s never easy to have your head in several places. Next week I will be with the French team; there, there are the Chambéry matches (Sunday in Paris), with a busy schedule and a lot of injuries; and then Montpellier which presents itself. I am the three-headed man (laughs). It's a lot of things at once. But it’s also a lot of pleasure and happiness.

Were you afraid it wouldn't happen ?

I questioned myself. I don't know if it's fear. I could clearly see that things were floundering, that they weren’t moving forward. At the same time, my president told me that it would be done. It took a while to decide. Then, at one point, I said to myself: « Isn't Montpellier going to get fed up? Montpellier also held its own. I'm flattered that he didn't give up.

You are going to take over from a legend (Patrice Canayer), it scares you or it galvanizes ?

It makes me proud to succeed Patrice. The story is beautiful. I was his deputy for three years (2015-2018). When I left, with Alain Carmand (the club's physiotherapist), we said like this while dreaming, joking: « Go get tougher and then come back. Here I am again.

Did you speak to Patrice Canayer ?

Yes. To keep him informed of the progress of the negotiations. It was the least we could do. It didn’t go any further.

He will have spent 30 years at the MHB next June. How would you like to be like him ?

Having your titles (laughs) even if it seems inaccessible today. He has incredible daily fishing despite years of training. It’s remarkable to still have this flame. I would like to have the same one. With fatigue, defeats, sometimes it's not easy to get back on track, to start again and he always knew how to do it.

Have you contacted Valentin Porte, the captain of the team ?

No. I didn't want to interfere with Montpellier's current season. I'm going to meet a few players again next week with the Blues. We will have time to talk about it then. And it’s very good that it’s happening on this occasion. Out of respect, I didn’t call anyone.

You mention the international week. Will you continue to be Guillaume Gille's deputy after the Olympic Games ?

I can't say anything at the moment. It is the French Federation which will communicate on the subject in due course.

Are you arriving in Montpellier alone, with a staff ?

A lot of staff members are at the end of their contracts. At these times, we receive a lot of external requests. I will reserve the first part of my interviews for the current staff. I want to meet everyone, to discuss to see what is possible before considering another horizon.

Planning for Montpellier, while the season is complicated in Chambéry, it must not be easy ?

We knew that our start to the season would be complicated due to the schedule. What we had not anticipated was the avalanche of injuries. In any case, I really want to finish well in Chambéry. I enjoyed myself for five years. There’s a great audience, a great room. I want to finish well and give back everything the club has given me.

What are the objectives set by Julien Deljarry, your future president ?

To simply regain titles. Afterwards, in terms of management, I believe that we have a lot in common with Patrice. The squad will not change much. Only Panic is up for it. I will stay in continuity especially since I will not arrive until after the Olympics. I'm not going to revolutionize the Montpellier game in 15 days.

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