“Why did you choose to recruit Franck Azéma for next season?
It is the result of several weeks of reflection since it is not a subject that can be dealt with in a snap of the fingers. The candidacies of Pierre-Henry Broncan and Vern Cotter were real candidacies. I don’t want people spreading the idea that it was some kind of decoy.
With Franck Azéma, things got better a fortnight ago but at first it didn’t seem possible. Broncan and Cotter really interested me for the club because they frankly ticked a lot of boxes. Even before rugby, for me, the first subject is the love of the territory. Franck has a territorial chromosomal DNA which corresponds exactly to what I want to do for the club.
It will also make it possible to go further in the construction of the budget, of the partners. Franck has a rugby vision that goes further than USAP and that will allow us to move forward. Vern Cotter, who was very fond of the region, did not have the same chromosomal power as Franck Azéma. In addition, with David Marty, Guillaume Vilaceca, Perry Freshwater, I knew that I was establishing a peaceful relationship. Some need to put conflict in what they do, not me.
The return of Franck Azéma, former player of the house, at the beginning of the 1990s, and coach of the Espoirs then the professionals (2006-2010), is also a beautiful story…
Yes, it’s a great story for the USAP. The next objective is to increase USAP’s capital, to have more means, to increase turnover. I’m sure he’ll help me. This is very good news and a new page in the history of USAP that is starting. It will allow us to go further, to give credibility to all our actions and to ensure that the USAP accentuates its territorial influence. USAP should not just be a brand, it should be useful for all the amateur clubs in the department.