Laurent Marti, the president of the UBB in the middle of his players. – Daniel Vaquero / SIPA
- The Bordeaux-Bègles Union faces this Saturday (8:45 p.m.) Clermont in the jump-off during the final stages of the Top 14.
- A historic match for Laurent Marti’s club but not an end for the Bordeaux president who is clearly aiming for the title of champion of France this season.
- In financial difficulty with the Covid-19 crisis, he is carrying out a naming project for the Chaban-Delmas stadium to help it meet the debt and puts pressure on the town hall for the moment hostile to it .
Historical. The Bordeaux-Bègles Union will play this Saturday (8:45 p.m.) his first Top 14 finals match in its history against
Clermont in front of 5,000 spectators at the Chaban-Delmas stadium. A hot jump-off between the two teams who are aiming for a qualification for the semi-finals which will take place next week in Lille. For the UBB, it is a great reward after a successful regular season under the orders of Christophe Urios. An already historic season for the club with also a Champions Cup semi-final a few weeks ago.
But the Bordelais do not want to stop there, they dream of going for the Shield of Brennus because the appetite comes by eating for Laurent Marti. The president of the UBB confides in 20 minutes before this momentous meeting.
How do you feel before this historic match for the club?
Personally, I don’t feel anything in particular. On the other hand, I feel a lot of determination at the club. We are focused on the upcoming match and that’s only what interests us at the moment T. I just have a thought for all the Bordeaux women and men who will not be able to be at the stadium on Saturday [la jauge sera de 5.000 spectateurs].
Isn’t there more excitement than that?
No because qualifying has never been an end for the club! It is just a step. The goal is to win the Brennus and that is exactly what I repeated to the players this week and to all the employees. You will only be remembered if you win a title. Here people remember two teams. The one who was champion of France in 91 and the one who got back to the Top 14 in 2011. If we stop there, everyone will have forgotten in two years. We only make club history if we win a title.
Today, you therefore assume to target the Brennus? It’s new…
We will never say it like that at the start of each season because if we say it that way, we will immediately come across as pretentious and that’s not what we are. We do not yet have the experience of big teams, but we must not make a fuss about it either. We all play a competition to win it. But one thing is certain, we continue to grow.
Does this qualification validate in any case your choice to take Christophe Urios?
I always say that it takes three things to succeed: a healthy club that lives well in its territory and its context, a very good squad and it is the case and finally, a very good manager! This is what we found with Christophe [Urios] and his staff. He brought that little extra that we were looking for a few years.
Do you have the impression that the opponents look at UBB differently?
Not completely. Yes there is a change but it is not yet complete. Me, I bet that if we do a poll on who will win the Brennus out of the six qualified, the UBB would be at the bottom of the ranking. Today, everyone is talking about Toulouse, La Rochelle and Racing, but that doesn’t bother us.
Where are the club’s finances at?
It’s very simple, we are on a forecast deficit of 10 million euros. A small part will be compensated by state aid, another by the solidarity of partners and supporters and then we have an EMP. The problem is that we add debt to debt with this EMP, since it will have to be repaid and we had a small recurring deficit in recent years. This worries me because my finances are not limited and I do not want to arrive at the solution where it is necessary to either reduce the wing or to bring in an investment fund in the capital. We have seen what this gave to the Girondins.
You announced to open the capital a few months ago …
This capital increase that I had proposed attracted four business leaders at the time. Since two have disappeared and the other two would surely still be starting, but that is too small a sum to make this increase. It is therefore a file on stand-by, but it will surely have to be put back on the table very quickly.
Does the solution go through the naming of the stadium?
This is an opportunity that presented itself to us a little over two months ago. In addition, with a company that we like, that matches us. A family business, Girondine which will come to propose a name which is not commercial at all. For us, this is a fantastic opportunity. I first talked to Mathieu Hazouard about it [adjoint aux Sports à la mairie de Bordeaux] then to the mayor Pierre Hurmic. The first was immediately against it, the second does not seem hot. I find it really unfortunate to dismiss this out of hand when we are not committing any public money to such an operation. It pains me a lot and clearly puts me in financial difficulty.
Difficult to touch in the name of Jacques Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux…
But we have a lot of respect for Jacques Chaban-Delmas, we know what he represents. We can respect the past without living in the past! You have to live in the present moment and the present moment is to save the UBB! Saving what it represents but also its social role, the economic benefits, that weighs that much. So, I have a lot of trouble understanding these first radical reactions. And then, I would like to remind you in passing that we are one of the people who saved this stadium with the Préservons Lescure association when Mr Juppé wanted to turn it into a real estate project a few years ago. If we hadn’t fought, he wouldn’t exist anymore! And today, they just bother me about a name change. And if the UBB sinks tomorrow, will this stage last? I’m not sure of it ! I find it swelling to look at his little navel and not to think about the general interest! And what would Mr Chaban-Delmas do if he was with us today, between helping a club to save itself or keeping a name? To ask the question, is to answer it.
Couldn’t his name be kept?
No, but we could, for example, rename the presidential platform, the Jacques Chaban-Delmas platform. We can keep a link without problem! I know what he represents. The town hall surely today has a political and ideological position, it is up to us to show that it is in the general interest. In any case, I hope that we can move forward on this file by the start of next season. [Laurent Marti et Pierre Hurmic vont évoquer le sujet avant la rencontre entre l’UBB et Clermont ce samedi].
Bordeaux: What could the renovation of the Chaban-Delmas stadium look like? https://t.co/QO5lb0mh2V via @ 20minutesBord pic.twitter.com/zBNvsF3XtT
– 20minutesbordeaux (@ 20minutesbord) March 30, 2021
Another sensitive issue, the renovation of the stadium … Is it progressing?
The town hall has decided to put 4 million euros on the table but to do what? Financing a hybrid lawn by 2023-2024 seems a long way off and to change the two giant screens which are completely obsolete. Then, there will be some small works but that is not what will change the life of the UBB. I had asked if they could help me fund a reception hall at the top of the south bend, the answer was no! Suddenly, at the moment, this project is impossible and yet, we really need it!