Toulon (AFP)
After 14 years of Mourad Boudjellal's reign, Toulon rugby is entering "a new era", announced Friday the new boss of the Rade club Bernard Lemaître, who has in mind the Club World Cup to replace the European Cup.
"We draw a line before leaving," assumed Bernard Lemaître, now alone at the helm of the RCT, immediately posting his goal, as part of a five-year plan: "Redo the RCT a flagship club in France, Europe and the world ".
The new frontiers of the club, triple European champion and quadruple champion of France, are therefore now global. Because the 81-year-old businessman, who made his fortune in the biopharmaceutical industry, does not hide it: he "is one of those who think that the European Cup will disappear and will be replaced by a World Cup clubs. "
And it is the entrepreneur who speaks: "The European Cup is a very nice competition, certainly, but which does not bring much to clubs in budgetary terms. And money is a necessity", said insisted Bernard Lemaître during the press conference for the return of the club, even if he recognizes that "professional rugby also needs to reduce its lifestyle".
To achieve this objective, the chairman of the RCT first wants to base himself on "sound economic and financial management", after years of "a model that leads into the wall": "We do not have the means of this policy ", the businessman insisted, never mentioning the name of Mourad Boudjellal, but recalling the annual losses of 10 million euros recorded by the club during the last two seasons. But the accounts should have returned to balance within two years, he says.
Convinced that if he had not intervened, "the club would be in Federal 1 and we would not be talking about a club world cup", Mr. Lemaître therefore wants to change his model. No more international stars attracted by high salaries.
- "Showers in the Algécos" -
"The most important thing is to strengthen the Toulon identity", argued Patrice Collazo, the general manager. A position shared by Laurent Emmanuelli, the sports director: "Recruitment may not seem flashy but we assume it".
Behind the South African world champion, the second line Eben Etzebeth, and the captain of the French team Charles Ollivon, who extended for five years in the jersey with lily of the valley, the RCT will approach the 2020-2021 season with a reduced staff of 12 players for only three recruits, and considerably rejuvenated.
"The training will be the keystone of the future of the RCT", insisted Bernard Lemaître, while aiming high from this season, with in particular the European Challenge, the European Cup bis, "the only title which is still missing in the club" .
With an ambitious objective, an ambitious tool too. At the Berg training center, the new lawn will be available at the end of June. As for the work on the RCT Center, the ultramodern sports facilities requested by Bernard Lemaître, they should be completed at the end of September.
Forgotten therefore "the showers in the Algécos" recalled by the new Toulon president, hoping that this new tool will also be an asset for the club to attract outside players: "After visiting Toulouse or Racing, when they landed here , they were a little surprised ... "
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