- RC Lens is back in Ligue 1 five years after its last season at this level.
- The enthusiasm of supporters around this return is "strong" as recognized by Arnaud Pouille.
- Budget, recruitment, subscriptions… the general manager of the club takes stock of the hot topics of the moment at RC Lens.
The wait will have lasted five years. After several seasons in Ligue 2, RC Lens is preparing to find the elite of French football. Second in the standings when the championship stopped in March because of the Covid epidemic, Racing owes its return to Ligue 1 to a very specific context. Not enough to curb the incredible craze of supporters of blood and gold impatient to find the PSG, OM and especially the great rival Lille.
And behind the scenes, we are also working to prepare for this season of return to the highest level. Director General of RC Lens, Arnaud Pouille gave an interview to 20 Minutes . Overview of the different questions that arise for Racing.
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𝒮𝒶𝒾𝓈𝑜𝓃 2⃣0⃣2⃣0⃣ - 2⃣0⃣2⃣1⃣ # rclens pic.twitter.com/oF7aW7bomo
How is the club preparing for this return to Ligue 1?
With the health crisis and the cancellation of the last games at Bollaert, we launched all regularization operations at the level of supporters and partners (reimbursement, issue of assets, etc.). We also have confirmation of the renewal of sponsors for next season. Joseph Oughourlian (president of the club) also took the bull by the horns with a strong financial commitment (20 million euros).
We have therefore settled the liabilities for the past two years. It was important to do so to turn the page on several seasons spent in Ligue 2. Now we are preparing for Ligue 1 with a steady pace. Even if the circumstances are not obvious. For example, we wonder every day if there will be more than 5,000 spectators in August in Bollaert for the resumption.
Precisely, do you know more about this subject?
No. We do not know anything. The State works, the prefectures too. We also work to prepare for it. But maybe it will be 5,000, 15,000, 30,000 or zero. It depends so much on health conditions. So there are still points of uncertainty. But there are also far fewer compared to three months ago.
How does one manage a preparation in a football club with the threat of the Covid?
Health protocols are strictly enforced. But there are still a lot of uncertainties about setting up trips when the season will resume with hotels for example. We also spread over several weeks the training resumes of the other RC Lens teams (reserve, youth). It is really necessary to avoid that the different teams cross. All players are tested. We try to limit the risks as much as possible and return to a normal situation from August. It's really very special. We're all on the alert.
What will be your budget for next season in Ligue 1?
We will be at 46 million euros. A budget is the difference between income and expenses. In Ligue 2, it was mainly loads and well in Ligue 1 it will be mainly products (laughs). So much the better. We also fixed this budget by adapting to the current context. In other words, our budget breakeven point has been cut by 30% compared to the total capacity of our public. We therefore integrated an impact hypothesis linked to the inability to deliver a normal season. I don't know if we are right. We will discuss this on July 10 with the DNCG (National Directorate of Management Control) to find out where it is better to place the cursor.
Will the club be in deficit at the end of this aborted season in Ligue 2?
Yes, the accounts will come out in September, but there will necessarily be a deficit. It was to be four to five million euros before the Covid crisis. So it will not improve but there is no cash flow problem because Joseph Oughourlian has covered these losses. We were also able to use a PGE (loan guaranteed by the State). Our 2019/20 result will therefore be negative like every year in Ligue 2. But in Ligue 1, the provisional budget that we present to the DNCG is positive. Even if we will know exactly where we are once the transfer window is finished.
Precisely, what are your means in terms of recruitment?
We have a precise budget envelope but we do not wish to communicate on it. But there is indeed an envelope deposited with the DNCG with assumptions which are taken in terms of wage bill and compensation of transfers purchases and sales. In addition, we are on a special transfer window because not all markets are necessarily open with championships still taking place. It's really very special. We have a target workforce, recruits to make and departures to make. We are advancing at a normal pace. Knowing that we are on a hyper extended transfer window (until October 1) compared to previous years.
Many names circulate like Kakuta or even Cuisance of Bayern Munich. Does Lens really have the means to attract these kinds of players?
Yes Yes. And there are also Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller (laughs). More seriously, there are a lot of names going around for a simple reason. Like all clubs, we are called a lot by agents right now. It is enough that we say that we are going to watch so that in the process, some say "Lens is interested in ...". But just because at one point we just had the politeness to answer a phone call does not mean that there is a strong interest, that he is on a list and that we are going to file a offer ... But I would point out that this is not the case with Mickaël Cuisance who is shining at Bayern. You really have to stay reasonable.
Loic Badé is Lensois! The young defender has signed up for the next 3 seasons. (📷: @RCLens)
We welcome him! pic.twitter.com/n5JpIDhVZk
The return of Lens has been awaited in L1 by supporters for a long time. How does this impatience translate into everyday life?
An example: We opened the subscription campaign for next season on July 1st. There was such an exceptional request that it generated technical concerns and legitimate frustration from supporters regarding the wait. We regret it but we had never treated so many subscription requests in a single day (nearly 4,000). There is a massive influx and a strong craze. The wait is enormous. There was also a 95% subscription renewal rate which is incredible. As soon as a player name comes out for the transfer window, it takes on incredible proportions. But it's normal and logical. There have been so many frustrations in recent years.
Have you set a maximum number of subscribers?
Once we have subtracted places for opposing supporters, partner places, invitations or the sale of single tickets, our maximum tonnage is 28,000 subscribers for the next season (Bollaert has a total capacity of 38,000 places). Will we reach this figure? It would be great but if we already reached 25,000 subscribers for our return to Ligue 1, it would be really not bad. For comparison, we had 16,000 subscribers last year in Ligue 2 and the historic record of subscribers dates from 20 years ago when there had been 29,000 subscribers during a season.
With this incredible craze, will you only aim for maintenance?
Yes, our ambition must be commensurate with that of a team that has not lived a normal year in Ligue 1 for eight years. We will find ourselves in a very strong competition. The ambition is therefore necessarily to maintain itself. And after, we'll see what we can gradually prove when the championship starts. It's going to be a season where we have to hang on. We will fight with our weapons.
A documentary series on the club was broadcast last week on a national channel. What feedback have you had?
There have been a lot of people discovering what is going on inside a club. The city of Lens and the club were super exposed so it's very positive. There could have been even more things, but the editorial policy was not our fault. There were hours and hours of filming. We have recovered very nice rushes that we are broadcasting on our application.
So, are you ready for a new documentary on the next season in Ligue 1?
We will take stock of the documentary with the production company and we will quickly make a decision for the future. Nothing is settled. We'll see.
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