Two days after the ax, the Girondins explained themselves to the press this Thursday afternoon. The situation is critical, the DNCG confirmed on appeal the administrative relegation to National 1 on Tuesday, paving the way for a possible bankruptcy filing. Gérard Lopez, owner and president of the club, Thomas Jacquemier, the club’s deputy general manager and Laurent Cotret, their lawyer were present. They shared their “incomprehension” after the decision of the financial policeman and ask to receive “the motivation of the DNCG” to prepare for the hearing with the CNOSF (French National Olympic and Sports Committee) before possibly going to administrative justice.
The essential
- Club leaders gathered at Haillan for a press conference
- Gérard Lopez says he is focusing on the conciliation of the CNOSF before considering other remedies to save the club from relegation to National
- “We have the funds to go until the end of the season without any sales” said the president of the club
- Between 200 and 300 jobs are threatened in the event of a bankruptcy filing
Relive the Girondins de Bordeaux press conference
3:21 p.m. – This is the end of this live, thank you for having followed. Have a good day !
3:09 p.m. – On the supporter demonstrations this Saturday: “Do you think this can work?” asks a journalist “How can popular enthusiasm not meet the needs of the club to send a message?” replies Gerard Lopez.
3:05 p.m. – “We hope for awareness and for the process of maintaining Ligue 2 to be recorded” during the hearing of the CNOSF (French National Olympic and Sports Committee) explains Laurent Cotret. Gerard Lopez “focuses on” on the conciliation of the CNOSF before considering other remedies to save the club from relegation to National.
3:03 p.m. – “I want to thank all the people who support us” continues the president.
3:01 p.m. – “I am convinced that I am fighting for the good cause” confides Gerard Lopez. _”We have never defaulted on supplier invoices”. “_ My battle is the Girondins de Bordeaux, what interests me is to save jobs” he continues. Between 200 and 300 jobs are threatened in the event of bankruptcy.
2:58 p.m. – “If things are done well, it’s about having the budget for the season: we have it” assures Gerard Lopez. “If the only request is to clarify a subject on the famous line of credit, we have answered point by point”.
2:45 p.m. – A journalist’s question to Gérard Lopez: “Do you think the DNCG wants the skin of Gérard Lopez?”. He answers : “If that’s it, it’s serious. Doing this on the backs of employees”.
2:44 p.m. – “You can’t play the future of a club because you don’t like someone” said the club’s lawyer. “We ask that the CNOSF meet, we ask for a calm and attentive examination” of our file.
2:40 p.m. – “Le Mans, Strasbourg, are not relevant examples because they had huge debts, we have no debts!” launches Laurent Cotret. “We have an asset and sales to come”.
2:38 p.m. – “We ticked all the boxes and on Monday night we felt like we ticked all the boxes” continues the lawyer. “To such an extent that Madam President and Mr. Vice President of the Commercial Court have appreciated our case: they tell us that the club is not in default and that the agreements reached are agreements that allow the sustainability of the club. “.
2:34 p.m. – Club lawyer Laurent Cotret speaks. The DNCG “was waiting for us on the player cover, figured at 22 million euros” he explains. “We contributed eight million euros, so we still had 14 million to contribute”. “We therefore sent them the mail from Bordeaux Métropole” (who drew a line under the rent of the Girondins de Bordeaux stadium, editor’s note) They didn’t want it, because it wasn’t a deliberation.”
2:32 p.m. – “We have the funds to go until the end of the season without any sales” says Gérard Lopez, testifying to his incomprehension of the DNCG’s decision.
2:29 p.m. –“That we find ourselves without a reason for the decision” of the DNCG “48 hours later”“that is a huge problem” Judge Gerard Lopez. “We can’t appeal, it’s serious for the club.”
2:28 p.m. – The club’s lawyer recalls the arguments filed before the financial policeman.
2:24 p.m. – “We firmly believe that we have a project that holds water” said Gérard Lopez during the press conference. “This club has a future” he believes.
2:23 p.m. – Are present: Gérard Lopez, Thomas Jacquemier, the deputy general manager of the club and Laurent Cotret, their lawyer.
2:20 p.m. – The press conference begins.