US Montauban announces it via a press release: the club is in financial difficulty. A deficit is “predictable” at the end of the season. It would be missing around 1.7 million euros, according to announcements made by President Maillard to partners Tuesday, February 25 in the evening.
Upon his arrival in November 2019 as president of the USM, Jean-Claude Maillard was described by Brigitte Barèges, the mayor of Montauban, as the providential man. “We were waiting for the miracle and it happened,” explained the candidate for her own succession during the presentation of the industrialist from Lot to the partners of the Tarn et Garonne club, within the confines of Sapiac. Jean-Claude Maillard, who had to invest more than a million and a half euros in the Sapiacain coffers, then drew up a very appetizing picture of his ambitions: “the Top 14 in five years”.
To make this dream come true, the head of Figeac Aéro started by making small changes to the reality of the Tarn-et-Garonnais club. Several players have joined the team. This is particularly the case of Dion-Évrard Oulai, second line from Bayonne (Top 14), who has asserted himself as one of the best players in the squad. The club also recruited Ramon Ayarza and Benson Stanley as medical jokers, brought in loan form Christopher Vaotoa and had to sign Nacanieli Narekuva (see box).
Behind the scenes, a commercial director was hired, the sports coordinator Damien Bessou, who became stadium manager, was replaced. And since 1er February, Florian Ninard, a former professional player, officially became USM sports director. Steps that club management deems necessary for the development of the club and its progress towards the Elite of French rugby.
“Achieve a balanced exercise” in June 2020
But all these restructurings come at a cost. “A deficit corresponding to additional charges on the recruitment of four additional players and administrative employees is foreseeable, begins the press release sent yesterday which formalizes the budget trough. This deficit is also the consequence of a lack of revenue at the level of partnerships and attendance at the stadium. “
This drop in attendance at Sapiac can be explained by a jagged season of the Montalbanese formation. Capable of overcoming Oyonnax (21-15) or Grenoble (21-13) lately, Stéphane Muñoz’s teammates have also drawn once and lost three times at the start of the season in their lair. It was respectively against Soyaux-Angoulême, Nevers, Colomiers and … Carcassonne, formation which they will face tomorrow evening at Domec (20 hours). This reduced public presence obviously affects ticket sales and revenue and de facto worsens the situation.
In an attempt to replenish the coffers of his club, the president launched an appeal: “Mr. Maillard asked for the support of all the administrators so that the financial situation improves,” the press release continued. Understand that the partners are invited to re-sign a check payable to the Professional Sports Limited Company (SASP) USM rugby.
According to our information, the 63-year-old Lotois in three weeks announced to the partners this “foreseeable” deficit at the time of a board of directors then a meeting with the partners, Tuesday February 25 in the evening. It would amount to 1.7 million euros. Jean-Claude Maillard would have assured the companies present to be able to erase with his personal money the slate that remains to be settled. “He (the president) undertakes to reach a balanced financial year by June 30, 2020”, concludes the press release, confirming that a (large) check of the 337th fortune of France (according to the magazine Challenges) is predictable.
During recruitment and municipal elections
Once the diagnosis has been made and the solutions envisaged, it is nevertheless necessary to question the timetable for this announcement. It intervenes first of all in the context of municipal elections where the renovation of the Sapiac stadium and the construction of a training center for the USM are a strong campaign theme, notably of the outgoing mayor Brigitte Barèges.
Going back to the sporting issues, February is also a period of recruitment for Pro D2 clubs. However, this announcement risks cooling the enthusiasm of players who might be interested in the Montalbanese project at five years. Because rugby is now professional. And if the sporting aspect remains preponderant, the salary entered at the bottom of the pay slip is also a variable of adjustments and negotiations.
After the blocked licenses for the 2018-2019 season, the staphylococcus of September October 2019, there would no longer be a risk that the USM would be affected by an epidemic of coronavirus. The leaders could then have won a Grand Slam. But not necessarily in the categories where they would have liked …
Four to six weeks of absence for Jérôme Bosviel
Jérôme Bosviel was the victim of an acromioclavicular sprain during the reception in Grenoble.
– DDM – MANUEL MASSIP
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Another bad news for the USM: released at 65e minute of the match against Grenoble, Jérôme Bosviel suffers from an acromioclavicular sprain. The Montalbanian rear (30) is expected to miss four to six weeks of competition. “I hope that in my absence, the team will be even better than when I was there,” replied the former Berjallian trained in Périgueux. The possibilities are therefore limited in the back, where Maxime Salles fortunately left the infirmary last week.
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