Bruno, you took the reins of the Girondins in a complex situation, with everything to rebuild. How did you approach this challenge?
It's a choice on my part. I knew where I was going. It is no longer a professional club, it plays at the fourth national level. But, it has a great history. Indeed, there is everything to rebuild. There is obviously a lot of work, particularly with John Williams on the recruitment side. When I arrived, the championship had already resumed for two days. I didn't have any players. We are in the process of setting up a game project, a locker room project. It's both time consuming and exciting.
You had to manage two distinct groups, put together a new staff and set up a playing model. How did this construction phase go?
It is not finished. It takes place on a daily basis. The players arrived slowly. The staff has also been changed. The club is in receivership. Unfortunately, there was a wave of layoffs. We have to integrate the new ones. Apart from my deputy, Dado Prso, not many people knew me. We have to quickly get the messages across because every weekend we have an obligation to perform vis-à-vis the competition.
Why did you choose to join Bordeaux in such a delicate context? What were management's arguments to convince you to take on this challenge?
I was convinced by two elements. It was a blank page to write with John Williams (in charge of recruitment, editor's note). On the contrary, it's also exciting to look for players who correspond to what we want to do in this division. So this challenge aspect is the first reason. The second is that I joined a historic French football club.
What are the objectives that you have set for yourself this season, in the championship and in the Coupe de France?
No goals were set for me. You know when you arrive at a club at the end of August and the championship has already started, it is not possible to establish a road map. We had a first objective which was to put a smile back on the faces of all Girondins de Bordeaux fans. They have been suffering for several years. They must recognize themselves in the team and have fun even if we play in National 2. The second objective is to rebuild. To do this, we will have to move up the ladder. We all want to bring it back up. Now we will see if we are able to do it this year. For now, we are behind schedule.
Precisely, the payroll was supervised by the DNCG. What are the consequences for the club?
The payroll of the Girondins de Bordeaux has been regulated since the start of the season. The club is in receivership. The managers work in close collaboration with the commercial court. So we can't just do anything. Despite everything, the squad will be able to evolve without paying a player outrageously and going outside the box. There may be departures. But also, players can join us in the form of a loan. Today, the Girondins are closely monitored and supervised. Everything we do or must do is clean and respectful to respect the decisions of the court and the DNCG.
Bordeaux remains a club in the spotlight, with frequent criticism of management. How do you manage this pressure internally, and how do you protect your group from this turbulence?
We take care exclusively of the athlete. Of course, the sporting situation arises from the problems and tensions that there may have been in previous years. The team is not in Ligue 1 or Ligue 2 but in National 2. On the other hand, we are also aware that we can rewrite a beautiful page for this historic club.
“We are still in this construction phase”
Credit Photo – Icon Sport
Your team qualified for the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France (2-0 victory against Les Herbiers). What importance do you attach to this competition?
The club is very happy to play in the Coupe de France. With the sequence of matches, I can make my players work physically and tactically. This summer, we didn't have any summer preparation, so it allows the team to catch up. For now, we have still not played in front of our supporters in the competition. We are keen to offer them a poster in order to share a meeting against a prestigious opponent with them in this great competition.
The arrival of Andy Carroll was notable. How does his experience and leadership impact the group?
In terms of state of mind, he is impeccable. He joined the Girondins de Bordeaux while respecting the club's conditions, particularly on the financial level. The players who come to us today don't come for that aspect. It corresponds very well to what we want to implement. He takes pleasure in everyday life. This is what the players came for. This is what we want to convey and inspire with our supporters.
After several months at the head of the team, what assessment do you draw from this start of the season, both on a sporting and human level?
The reserve team, which plays in National 3, was helped by former players like Rio Mavuba and Paul Baysse. They took out a license so that we wouldn't have any administrative problems. There was also this aspect to take into account. We can draw conclusions, but it is not over. This means that my recruitment is not complete. A goalkeeping coach recently arrived. In January, the squad could be reinforced by one or two players. So, we are still in this construction phase. We're not at our cruising speed. I think we can have it in February. Despite everything, we are progressing well because we have laid the foundations in terms of state of mind. With the work that we can do on a daily basis with the staff, we manage to win matches to get closer to the top of the table.
The National 2 championship is quite special. What is your opinion on the level of this championship and its specificities?
Like the National, it has evolved a lot. There are very good players because they were trained by professional clubs. With the increase from twenty to eighteen teams in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, there is a flow of players into the third, fourth and fifth French divisions. Obviously, the level increases. Today, it's very complicated because you have a lot of good clubs with resources. In our group, you have training courses with higher budgets than us. When I talk about the budget, I talk about the payroll. At the end of the season, the group winners (i.e. three teams, editor's note) will be promoted to the National. The task will be difficult, but we will have to fight until the end.
Girondins supporters are experiencing a special season, often deprived of travel or faced with matches behind closed doors. What message do you want to send to them in this context?
Yes, the situation is difficult. We play in National 2. I speak on behalf of the players and the staff, we have always felt a lot of goodwill towards us. Concerning the travel bans, there were mistakes. If the prefecture makes decisions, it does not take them cheerfully. Supporters must create a positive dynamic and ensure that the institutions that prevent them from following us today can change their minds. We are better with them, that’s a fact. We are saddened not to be able to share moments with them more often, especially outside. Now we have to make do for the moment. It's up to us and them to show that the beauty of football can change certain attitudes.
To summarize
Arriving this summer at the head of the Girondins de Bordeaux, Bruno Irles inherited a colossal challenge: rebuilding a team and a staff in a particularly delicate context, while the club is now playing in National 2. The former coach of QRM and de Pau embarked on this ambitious project with clear objectives and a long-term vision. Between the results of the start of the season, the ambitions in the championship and the Coupe de France, the management of external criticism, and the positive impact of a player like Andy Carroll in the squad, he confides in his daily life within of a historic club in full reconstruction.
