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Jean-Louis Francillard passed away

We learned this Thursday morning of the death of Jean-Louis Francillard, at the age of 78. A former player, then FCG manager and passionate trainer for many seasons, it is with deep sadness that the entire Club expresses its deepest condolences to his family, friends, loved ones and all those who loved him. 

Olivier Nier, passed on this testimony to us, which we would like to share with you.

JEAN LOUIS, 

To evoke Jean Louis FRANCILLARD is to plunge into a fantastic period of my life! 

I will never be able to find words strong enough and right enough to affirm the respect and friendship I feel in evoking the name of the man who was my guardian angel in the construction of an educational model made in FCG, based on humanistic values never betrayed. 

Jean Louis is the human bond, it is friendship to excess, and there are many who have enjoyed sharing the good meals of Tuesday evenings at the table d'hôtes of "Father Cartillier", a meal always preceded by a communard (his beloved drink). In these warm moments, one could broach all the topics of discussion to realize very quickly, that beneath his look of a badly licked bear, there was a man with a huge heart, and a flourishing culture, who dreamed of building a simple world of sharing and love. 

Like his garden in Clelles, his earthly paradise, where plant treasures could be found, Jean Louis was a craftsman of the academy who knew that to reap, one must first sow and be very patient. 

Rarely have I met someone with such a great ability to analyze things with hindsight and serenity: true peasant common sense in the noble sense of the word! 

The pursuit of his ideal club, based on the construction of the human bond between all the club's families, partners, supporters (for whom he worked hard), managers, administrative staff, sports staff and players, guided each of his decisions. 

Under his leadership, the academy of the FCG has known an almost insolent success, which his natural humility refuted as soon as one tried to congratulate him. 

Beyond the results (champions in all youth categories, the greatest number of selected youngsters from a club in the same French team (6)), what he glorified above all was the EDUCATIVE word so dear to Julien SABY and Jean DEVALUEZ. 

In addition to great players, Jean Louis' educational and sports center will have trained an incredible number of passionate educators and coaches. And it's no coincidence that today, many of the "young" members of the FCG's coaching staff come from what Jean Louis called the academy of "good guys" (Dussert, Vilain, Perrin, Vernet.....). 

To have the chance to travel a lot and rub shoulders with coaches from many nations, the state of mind that is closest to Jean Louis is that of the New Zealanders. When the first black jersey is given to a young player, a ritual requires a former "BLACK" to say these words: "It's not about what you're going to do, it's about who you are". That's JEAN LOUIS! 

To all of you Francillards, and especially to the magnificent family that Jean Louis (Yasmine, Anne Gaelle, Loic and Marie Pierre) was proud to be your friend. 

Farewell Jean Louis, I know that today there is one who is happy, your lifelong friend, CLOCLO, who will welcome you to the paradise of good guys, with arms wide open. 

Olivier NIER