"A question of honor"

Hopes

"A player with a South African accent told me on Wednesday:" I can not imagine the club in Pro D2. With the work done, the game that is set up and the progress shown is unrealistic. I'm convinced we'll stay in Top 14! "Players believe it! We have often been fourth at this level of the season to finish on the socks. So there are one or two of our competitors who are going to live in this situation and are going to have a bad time. There is also a question of honor. Players do not want to leave the club on a failure. Also, if the club maintains itself, it means that we have achieved a series of 7 or 8 victories. We never did that. So, no matter how unlikely the scenario is, it is so exciting that you have to do it. And then, nobody remains draped in its certainties, to say that it is the fault of the referees, the wounds, etc. The players continue to work. They seek the key to become better. This winter, we may have fewer notes in style but we will win more. Everyone in the club is realistic. At the start of the season, players agreed to have a 3% pay cut. All the staff and almost all the players accepted. So, to thank them, they were promised a retention bonus. And, the last reason, these are people like you. As long as there are hedges of honor, shouts in the stadium, the players will be worn. Such a state of mind makes me hope. "

The struggle to maintain

"We have a group of players who have a real honor. Whatever the future, they do not want to leave the club in Pro D2. We are lucky to have extremely healthy people, folks, who do not want to leave the club lower than when they arrived. If, unfortunately, we should go down, we must go back at once. You have to have the budget for that. I work for partners to continue with the same budget for a year. I quote the Conseil Départemental de l'Isère, which will maintain its support in the event of a descent. This allows you to target a number of key players who have an impact on the group. This week we have a discussion of five key players who will be the core of tomorrow. Then we go to the others. And those who have already signed from outside have confirmed that they will stay in Pro D2. "

Kalolo Tuiloma

"Kalolo Tuiloma has a problem of incapacity in France. It does not prevent him from playing in New Zealand, but in France, though. We have complementary reviews to come. If, unfortunately, he could not play with us, we will help him find a solution, one way or another. And we will give ourselves the means on our side. Finding a good right pillar in the middle of the season, which does not cost 35,000 euros a month, is not easy ... "

Bernard Jackman

"While we were four defeats at the beginning of the season, Bernard said to me:" If I told you that I had done all right, you would have to get me because I would be really arrogant. If you have to fire me, do it. We have a trainer who has the humility to question himself. It has ethics, values. I think he's a very good leader, a huge worker. Among the 5 stars that we want to see stay, the first question asked is "Is Bernard staying? Because I only stay if he stays. I asked Bernard if he stayed in Pro D2, he told me that if the five remained ... I have confidence in him. He was the first to ask to lower his salary when it was needed. He's not a mercenary. If it is the Pro D2, I will take full mouth if I keep it, but I will assume. Today, players want to play for him. And it is not the financial constraint that makes me make this decision. "

The link with the public

"We felt we were losing the link little by little: subscribers felt like customers, shareholders felt that we were only soliciting them to take money. We then decided to launch a whole series of actions to say that this club belonged to everyone. We are doing a lot at this moment to get closer to our audience, that you feel that you are at home. This is not demagogy. "

The Stade des Alpes

"The bulk of our budget are private companies. But there are also communities. The impact of a club on a city, an agglomeration, a department or a region is enormous! And then there is the overall cost of the stadium. 650,000 euros rent, plus the marquee which costs 20,000 euros per month, not to mention the land use tax of 56,000 euros at the mayor's office. We did an investigation: in Pro D2, six clubs are at 0 euro regarding the stadium. We, the stadium, plus the depreciation of Lesdiguières, weighs 1.2 million euros. We start with this budgetary handicap. Adjusting the stadium folder is therefore paramount. We need help getting started. And today, we can not. But I'm an optimist, we work with the town hall, the Metro. I hope that we will find solutions because, without solution, it is impossible to complete a budget. We would put the key under the door. And since I do not want that, we'll find a solution. Before January 15th. "

The economic situation of the club

"What is certain is that we will not put the club in bankruptcy. The shareholders will take the necessary steps to make the club live, we will fight for your club. One is creative, if the money comes out on one side, one will make him return from the other. I am very uncomfortable asking my co-shareholders to put more money when it goes wrong. But I am especially uncomfortable when I personally fund the inheritance of my children, the fact that a Parisian society makes a profit on the rental of our stadium. It drives me crazy. It is a cold anger. "

Find the full report of this meeting in the December 15 edition of the Dauphiné Libéré