September 12, 2025
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Zapping Foot National Interview – The underside of amateur football, with Romain Molina

Has fourth place in the past season questioned the future of Bruno Irles and John Williams? “Of course,” replied Gérard Lopez without detour to Southwest. “When you are first and you don't go up, it's a disappointment.” But the Girondins president-owner finally decided to maintain his technical duo stationed. “The coach knows football very well, is motivated, has managed to lead the team to a first place last season without having created a particular style of play or a strong seat”, analyzes Lopez, which justifies this lack by a team “mounted in a few days”. For John Williams, criticized for some recruitments, the president is looking for an investment problem: “John was not present last season because he was a consultant and still linked with Amiens. This season, he will be full.”

Promotion objective

The example of Etienne Beugre, recruited at 5,000 euros monthly for disappointing services, serves as a lesson. “We will not get out of the scale (5,000 euros per month maximum) except in exceptional cases and agreement of the entire management,” promises Lopez, who entrusts Arnaud Saint-André, the director general, a role of safeguard in recruitments. With the validation of his continuation plan and the successful passage in front of the DNCG, the owner now displays his ambitions without complex: “We will announce players, make a real preparation. We will no longer be able to hide: we play the climb, only the climb.” The workforce will be largely renewed: “75 to 80 % of the workforce will be replaced.”

This strategy is part of a longer term plan: “Our plan is to pay debt over ten years, to aim for a climb every two years.” In case of failure this season, Lopez assumes: “It adds a year. And frustration. Financially I will assume.” After four years of failure and 62 million euros invested, the manager claims his passion as the only motivation: “I am a mental football patient, I watch six or seven games per week. It's like a drug. I vibrate in N2.” And to conclude on her philosophy: “Passion does not make sense. If she had it, it would not be a passion.”