INTERVIEW
After having imposed his flair in the world of rugby, making RC Toulon a champion of France and a triple champion of Europe, Mourad Boudjellal found himself a new challenge ... in the same city. After long and stormy negotiations, he indeed found an agreement Friday with the owner of the football club Sporting Toulon, to take the presidency. Invited Sunday of Europe 1 sport, the former publisher has announced his ambitions for the club relegated this season to National 2 (4th division), and whose last hours of glory date back to the 1980s, with in particular a fifth place in D1, and old glories like Rolland Courbis and Delio Onnis.
The choice of Mourad Boudjellal was obviously guided by his visceral attachment to the city of Var. "It is my city (...) before being French, I am Toulonnais", ignites it. Regarding the sporting aspect, the businessman recalls being "a man of challenge". However, he adds, "succeeding in two sports in the same city was not very successful".
"You have to rebuild a state of mind in this club"
But how to rebuild a club in difficulty for many years, and which has just been relegated to National 2? Asked about his first ambitions, Mourad Boudjellal wants to progress step by step. "I will not repeat the mistake I made at RCT the first year, when I played Playstation", he explains, looking back on his first season at the head of the rugby club during which he had brought stars to a team which then played in the second division.
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"We must first rebuild a state of mind in this club," he prefers to explain, and "restore the concept of professionalism, high level, but also review the structure, add skills." And to conclude: "This is all that must be put in place so that the club is ready to go back to National, then in Ligue 2 and in Ligue 1".
"If I get it wrong, I will get hit everywhere"
"We are going to try to do it this year, but it is a huge undertaking," acknowledges the guest of Europe 1, aware that he will be eagerly awaited: "I know that if I get confused, I will take shots everywhere. I put myself in danger. "
Moreover, this late agreement will inevitably reduce its immediate room for maneuver within the club. "I will arrive in July, and everything will be started. I have not recruited," he said, announcing however that he wanted to "strengthen the team with players of character".
If he intends to eventually bring the club back to Ligue 1, Mourad Boudjellal therefore firstly wants to "create a club that is credible and highlight its assets". And, he warns, "if we want to go higher, we will not be able to be alone. In Ligue 2 and in Ligue 1, if we want to grow, we will have to be accompanied".