Frankie yau was in the stands this Saturday in the small Vuillermet stadium in Lyon to attend the qualification of the Sochaliens in the Coupe de France against the fans of Montchat Lyon (0-3). His presence is an event in the life of the FCSM of which he is the president, and number 2 of the Chinese group, Nenking, owner of the club. The Chinese leader had not, in fact, returned to France and Sochaux for almost two years. In transit in Monaco this Sunday, we took the opportunity to take stock of the reasons for his visit and the shareholder’s position for the future of the FCSM.
France Bleu Belfort-Montbéliard: What is the reason for your coming to the FCSM?
Frankie Yau: “It was very important for me to see my team, I miss the people here, the people at the club. With the health crisis, it had been almost two years since I had come. I wanted to show my attachment to the club. club and its community Even if I follow everything that happens there from Hong-Kong thanks to Samuel Laurent (present during this interview).
FBBM: Nenking has been at the head of the club for over two years. What progress have you noticed over this period?
FY: “Yes, there are improvements. First in terms of sport, with a better ranking, even if we always have to do better. At the management level, it is also better, more efficient. And then, concerning the financial situation, it is much better. But with the COVID crisis, TV rights, we are also here to assess these risks which are not linked to the club but which we must obviously take into account. This is the main reason I’m here this week, to identify the additional help that Nenking can bring to the club with all these constraints.
“1 million or 2 million, is that a ‘massive’ investment? Everything is subjective” – Frankie Yau, President of FCSM
FBBM: Speaking of investment, is Nenking ready to invest heavily for FCSM?
FY: “That’s a good question. But it’s not just a question of money. Talking about “massive” investment as you say is very subjective. My message is to know what resources the club needs. I am here to collect recommendations from Samuel Laurent and his team. We trust them completely, they know what to do to achieve our goals, the goal we have set for ourselves. We need to be aligned with their recommendations for the group over the long haul. I am here to see the situation for the long haul. After, to come back to your question, 1 million or 2 million, is it a “massive” investment, it all depends on what it is for.. Samuel Laurent adds “Nenking brings us his experience, his competence to guide us on our long-term orientations. They trust us to run the club in the best possible way, in the interests of the club and the group “.
Frankie Yau / You know that Nenking injected 4 million euros at the time of the takeover, but this money was not touched. I would like to know what Samuel Laurent recommends doing to use this amount before Nenking decides to put more money in the club. What Samuel Laurent responds to “These 4 million is the loan, which we have no intention of touching anyway.
FBBM: The winter transfer window is approaching. Will Nenking put his hand in his pocket for a striker, a goalscorer?
FY: “We’re looking for a good scorer. But I’ll let Samuel and Omar (Daf) decide. What kind of striker do we need? For what budget? But 90% of them will accept their recommendations on a recruitment.
“Are we ready in the event of a rise in Ligue 1? It is this gap that Nenking must identify, and it is the purpose of my visit” – Frankie Yau, president of the FCSM
FBBM: Sochaux is 4th in Ligue 2. Is this the season when you really have to do everything to get into Ligue 1?
FY: “Is it this year or the year after? (Samuel Laurent reiterates that Nenking has given himself 5 years to go back). What matters is to take stock of the current situation. And to ask yourself this question: are we ready to move up to Ligue 1? In terms of internal organization, the quality of the players, financial requirements. We are around the table with the management team to identify the gap between a Ligue 1 club and our current situation in Ligue 2. It is very important to make this assessment. This is why, in recent days, we have been visiting other Ligue 1 clubs. We were in Reims, Saint-Etienne, and are this weekend in Monaco, to know if we are “qualified” (in other words, competent, sufficiently armed) in terms of infrastructure, management, and even the training center. “Are we ready yet? Frankie Yau blurted out again.” Are we ready yet?
FBBM: And getting into Ligue 1 shouldn’t be the end of it?
FY: “I want to know more precisely to determine what additional investments Nenking needs to make to bridge this gap. I cannot say that we will go up this season, or next year, no, but what is certain is that. is that if we go up to L1, we have to stay there for several years. You must not take the elevator, it is too dangerous and it would hurt the club. So, I’m repeating myself, but we need to identify this “gap” with Ligue 1 and make sure it is bridged. “We have to learn what we will lack to do it right. We visit these top clubs to see their approach and learn.” complete Samuel Laurent. Frankie Yau will be present at Bonal on Friday for the arrival of Pau at 9 p.m.