This Thursday, in the presence of Laurent Nicollin in particular, photographer Guilhem Canal presented his book “50 years, 50 views”: 52 personalities who evoke the 50 years of Montpellier-Hérault.
50 years of history of Montpellier-Paillade which became Montpellier-Hérault is well worth a book. The initiative is that of a photographer, Guilhem Canal, who even specially created his publishing house: Editions du Sombrero. On a special anniversary, prestigious location, the Richer hotel in Belleval, and distinguished guest for the presentation press conference: President Laurent Nicollin, who came with his daughter Agathe. At the microphone, Guilhem, a club lover who came to present his book, produced with journalist Gwenaël Cadoret. He speaks about it with emotion (“It reflects the club, the family, La Paillade”) and a lot of anecdotes. Like the evening of the title, in 2012, at the airport, upon returning from the plane, when, full of nerve and desire and after many adventures, he found himself with Louis Nicollin, who couldn’t believe it. title, and Colette. “I was a usurper”he laughs about it today, but a crazy usurper of his favorite club, he has never stopped repeating it. So he recounts the meetings for his book, with Carlos Valderrama in Miami, with Jean-Louis Gasset with whom he spent a whole day, and many others.
Laurent Nicollin: “We and the Agnelli Juve”
For Laurent Nicollin, obviously, this half century, “cThis is something huge. It’s 50 years of passion and adventure that started with Louis Nicollin and Bernard Gasset, who started from a corporate team and found themselves in the Champions League. It’s a human adventure with sometimes slightly complicated moments, strong moments throughout the different climbs, courses in the Coupe de France, European Cups. It’s a story of friends, of fervor, of a city too. When Georges Frêche arrived, he also allowed the club to reach new levels. These are meetings of men. Like this book. I believe that we are the only club with Juventus Turin and the Agnelli family where it is the same family that has managed a club for fifty years. This is the story of our life. Since Tuesday, November 5, the official birthday, I have received lots of messages. Through this book, it emerges how we live the club on a daily basis, with its qualities and its faults but friendship and family is the number one act.“Realistically, the president nevertheless concludes on the delicate situation of the MHSC, currently last in Ligue 1: “I hope we will all be happy with these 50 years”and evoking the hope of a new dynamic.
Agathe: “I realize the impact my grandfather had”
The future of the club, his daughter Agathe, was also present. How does she feel about this half-century? “Great pride. I am very proud of what they created. I realize, particularly with this book, these testimonies, the impact that my grandfather had on people’s lives.” So good life to the book, happy birthday to the MHSC. And that he very quickly finds his way to success.
