Guillaume MARION, Media365: published on Monday August 08, 2022 at 12:50 p.m.
After his failure in Montpellier, Xavier Garbajosa hopes to learn the lessons of the past and use them to allow Lyon to continue their momentum and aim very high in the Top 14.
Visibly marked by his failure in Montpellier, Xavier Garbajosa is revengeful. Indeed, appointed manager of the MHR in 2019, the former versatile three-quarter had been sacked by the Cistes after only a year and a half (January 2021), while part of his first season had been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic at the start of 2020. After several seasons as a rear coach at La Rochelle, the native of Toulouse had failed to make the leap to this new position. While Pierre Mignoni gave up his place to return to Toulon, Garbajosa will therefore have a new chance to shine and show that he has learned the lessons of his failure. ” There have been good things done, of course, but there have inevitably been mistakes made. I’m not ashamed to admit it “, easily recognizes the person concerned, who has seen Montpellier win the Challenge Cup (in 2021) and the Top 14 (in 2022) since his departure.
Garbajosa wants to allow Lyon to grow
However, doing as well as them will not be easy, as he explained. ” It would still be going too fast to think that, because the LOU won the Challenge, it will immediately imitate Montpellier the following season. Last year’s title was a great reward for the work provided by Pierre Mignoni with this golden generation from the club, which gave LOU a real identity. Now, one of two things: either we are satisfied with this title, or we use it as a springboard, Garbajosa later declared, during an interview with Midi Olympique. The problem is that you can impose objectives as president or manager, but you will not achieve them without the deep adhesion of the group. In the end, only the players have the answer deep inside them. Ambitious, the new boss of Lyon will have a lot to do in a few weeks in the Top 14 with trips to Brive and Racing 92 and the reception of La Rochelle in the meantime to start.
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