The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Sanitary bubble, rooming, rough management ... Fabien Galthié, the man who tenses up French rugby

2021-03-11T07:10:24.632Z


Directly targeted by criticism of the health bubble of the XV of France, the coach of the Blues annoyed some of his players. Not


We are ready to bet dear that he will not have to justify his choice between Romain Ntamack or Matthieu Jalibert as the opener to challenge England on Saturday (5.45 p.m.).

This Thursday, shortly after noon, Fabien Galthié makes his first official media outlet since the explosion of the health bubble of the XV of France, a case where he was the main accused before being washed by the internal investigation of the Federation French rugby team (FFR).

If the coach of the Blues comes to the video-press conference to announce the players who will be traveling to Twickenham, it will be difficult for him to free himself from an explanation of this fiasco where his exits from Marcoussis were singled out .

“This story shows that he has not changed, slips one of his former coaches.

He's a smart guy, but always did what he wanted.

As expected, his players did not want to dwell on his responsibility during a first press briefing on Tuesday.

But, behind the scenes, his attitude twitched.

As so often in his career.

"He is unsettling and quickly disrespectful"

From the Stade Français to Toulon via Montpellier, the same story comes back about the ex-scrum half to the four World Cups contested with the XV of France: a brilliant technician, able to discuss for hours on the evolution rugby, but a tough manager.

“When he doesn't want you in his team, he quickly makes you understand and makes you

eat

every day, says Marc Giraud, ex-third row of Montpellier.

He is unsettling, and quickly disrespectful.

You have to be good about yourself if you work with him.

"

READ ALSO>

Rugby World Cup in 2023: first tickets on sale on March 15


At the Stade Français, his sessions could sometimes turn into a shouting match.

“Humanly, you're worth nothing.

You should be banned from training.

You tear your players apart like a dachshund hounds on bad bits of barbaque ”, will launch him, as he tells it in his book“ When I was Superman ”, his player Raphaël Poulain.

Morning essentials newsletter

A tour of the news to start the day

Subscribe to the newsletterAll newsletters

For his contemptors, a scene sums up the guy: after a match between the Stade Français and Montpellier in 2013, the one who is then the Hérault manager comes to ignite Geoffrey Doumayrou, his former player with the Parisians, guilty of having criticized his methods in the press.

“You say what you want.

But try to have a career like me ”, the Galthié room in front of a Canal + camera.

Max Guazzini, president of Stade Français, and Fabien Galthié, his future trainer, in June 2004. Le Parisien  

“Those who criticize him the most are often those who were substitutes, defends his former president at the Stade Français, Max Guazzini.

Yes, it is not smooth.

But you don't make a great team with smooth people.

"

In Montpellier, his double hat as manager and consultant for France Televisions ended up annoying his players, tired of his repeated absences.

As in 2014, where he skips a week of training and a match to go to Brazil to celebrate the 80th birthday of Serge Kampf, the great financier of French rugby who has since disappeared.

"If it must be him the future coach of the France team, it is a negative image for our sport," had then tackled RMC, its future president Bernard Laporte.

"He brings the Blues back to life"

Among the technicians of the Top 14, Fabien Galthié does not only have supporters.

In Toulon, his successor, Patrice Collazo did not appreciate at all that the staff of the Blues debauchery his physical trainer, Thibault Giroud.

In 2017, the Castres staff had assured to have been "insulted" by the future coach of the XV of France.

The exchange ended with a small slap from the Tarn coach, Christophe Urios, to his counterpart.

"He is arrogant and contemptuous, he called us trumpets during a match between Montpellier and the UBB

(Editor's note: in 2012)

," says Vincent Etcheto, former coach of the Girondins back.

He has a good image with the general public, so much the better for him.

"Instead of saying bravo to him for the way the Blues play, some are trying to seize any opportunity to attack him and settle accounts, judge Max Guazzini.

What matters are the results.

And, me, what I see is that he revives the Blues.

“Whose victory in England would chase the clouds around the head of his coach.

Source: leparis

All sports articles on 2021-03-11

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.