After the “media storm”, the explanations.
At the beginning of October, the Midi Olympique newspaper revealed that Laurent Labit, coach in charge of the attack, and Karim Ghezal, responsible for the touch, will not extend the adventure in the staff of Fabien Galthié with the XV of France.
"Everything that was written was not perfectly fair", underlined the first, in an interview he gave with his friend in the same columns of Midi Olympique, published this Friday and in which the two therefore justify their decision.
“I had spoken with Fabien (Galthié) for a little while now about my desire to start a club project again”, explains Labit.
“I made this choice after careful consideration, for his part explained Karim Ghezal.
My question was the meaning to give to my evolution.
“Discussions have thus taken place with several clubs, including Stade Français, for “a few weeks, maybe a few months”, specifies Labit.
In the end, it was the project of the Parisian club that caught their attention, confirming that "the noises, the rumors about the Stade Français in recent weeks have only accelerated the process".
An arrival scheduled for November 2023
“We will not be in pairs, details Labit.
I will have more general functions on the whole of the club and the rugby part.
Karim will be more in charge of the professional team in a role of head coach.
“The staff in place, and in particular coach Gonzalo Quesada, are still under contract until 2024. “It is he who will define my scope of work and I will comply with it,” said Labit.
The two acolytes will therefore leave the XV of France at the end of the World Cup, which they will experience next year in the staff of the Blues at home.
“The date that everyone checked is October 28, 2023 for the World Cup final, explains Laurent Labit again.
Then, we are hoping for a few days, even a few weeks of festivities to celebrate this world title that we want… and after that, from November, we will start working in our new project.
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“Our project of the moment, which is that of a lifetime, is the World Cup, confirmed Ghezal.
The only thing we are focused on is finding the 33 players who will enter our project for the World Cup (...) Our project with Stade Français will only begin afterwards.
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