Except for the exploits of its residents in the oldest competitions, we almost never talk about National 2.
Except this season, thanks or because of Bordeaux, this monument of French football has been adrift financially for six years and the passage under the American flag then in the hands of Gerard Lopez, now persona non grata for its management and the debt accumulated in recent seasons – 118 million euros according to the commercial court.
“In our bubble”
His budget this season, estimated at 7 million euros, and his way of acting to leave have upset several of his new competitors. “We are the team that people want to see lose in every match, but that doesn't bother us more than that, we are really in our bubble,” said midfielder Adrien Louveau.
The patient from Bordeaux, helped by John Williams, the former sports director of Amiens who does not appear in his new organization chart, had to urgently form two teams – his reserve is playing in N3 – as soon as his placement in legal recovery.
He managed to repatriate local players, trained or passed through his ranks, such as defender Cédric Yambéré (42 L1 matches from 2014 to 2016) who played in the Faroe Islands, in Klaksvík, involved in the Conference League (C4), or the winger Sofiane Bahassa.
“I jumped straight at this opportunity because the Girondins remain my favorite club,” recalls the latter.
11,000 spectators at home
Others came for “the reconstruction project” like former Valenciennes goalkeeper Lassana Diabaté, who equalized with a header against Poitiers in the first match in September (1-1), with federal contracts ranging from 1,100 at 5,000 euros per month.
Among them, striker Andy Carroll, ex-Liverpool English star (35 years old, 248 Premier League matches, 9 caps) stands out with his announced salary (1,614 euros) less than his rent, coming “for the love of football”.
A winning bet (7 goals scored in 8 matches played, 8 points reported), followed closely by sports and celebrity journalists from his country.
Enough to flatter the ego of the supporters, many bruised by the decline endured, but who gather in numbers of 11,000 on match days at Matmut Atlantique and can follow their favorites more easily on TV – free broadcast on a local channel – than a current L1 club.
Enemy supporters
The only downside: the antagonism between two groups of supporters, the Ultramarines and the North Gate, has not faded with the double relegation and penalizes other fans, banned from traveling since the start of the season.
Until then, Bordeaux's course in the Coupe de France (5 matches) took place behind closed doors and the prefecture demanded that the two enemy groups sign “a non-aggression pact” to authorize the attendance of the public against Rennes. Around 19,600 spectators are expected.
On a day-to-day basis, the players function like professionals “except for the trips which are made by bus and the amount of the fines because we do not have professional salaries”, recalls the coach Bruno Irlès.
The Château du Haillan still hosts their training, but no longer the training center which closed after having provided so many international players (Giresse, Roche, Dugarry, Lizarazu, Mavuba, Koundé, Tchouaméni…) and the last 86 employees had to leave the premises, dismissed by a simple email without a word of comfort or support from the managers.
In ambush (3es) in group B of N2, 10 points behind Saint-Malo with a game late, the Girondins only have the rise to National in mind and are considering the arrival of Rennes as a bonus.
“But we’re not going to go there halfway. It’s going to be fun to play,” warns Adrien Louveau.
