The Saez family is closely linked to that of the Nicollins. Louis Saez was thus the first coach of the Nicollin company’s corporate team. Jean-Louis has taken charge of the destiny of women’s football at the club for ten years, as coach and then sporting director.
An 84-page special issue
Condensing half a century of history into 84 pages. This is the challenge taken up by the sports editorial staff of Midi Libre in this special issue on the 50th anniversary of the MHSC. Available on newsstands on December 11 for only 5 euros, this glossy magazine will make you relive the great times in the history of the Montpellier club through our “50” who made the MHSC.
Players, coaches and builders, obviously, starting with this “Nicollin Saga”, told by Laurent and Colette, the wife of the late Loulou. A special issue full of anecdotes and unpublished photos with an exclusive interview with Olivier Giroud.
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Montpellier is a story of families. Unbreakable links between the Nicollin family and the Gassets or the Saezs. Jean-Louis Saez, the current sporting director of the women’s team, is the heir of parents who were present in the early days of the club. His father Louis, a former professional player for Béziers in particular, was the first coach of the Nicollin company’s corporate team even before 1974.
Helmed by Laurent Blanc at the training center
His mother Jeanine was the first steward of the training center covering the prestigious tenants: Blanc, Ferhaoui, Gérald Passi… “The two summer months preceding the opening of the center in Grammont, my mother and I lived with the Nicollins. On Saturdays, we played in the swimming pool with Louis so that they could relax before going to the match “says Jean-Louis Saez. “Louis, who was always one step ahead, had the flair to create the training center and focus on young people.”
Women’s Champions League quarter-final
Midfielder, Jean-Louis joined him for three years (1985-88). He gravitates around the pro group, but comes up against competition from Laurent Blanc, “who had such class”Bernardet, Lemoult, Laurey…
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50 years of the MHSC: he unearthed Laurent Blanc and Younès Belhanda… Serge Delmas, the eternal seeker of nuggets
He went into exile near Arles but never lost touch with Montpellier or the Nicollin family. In 2013, Loulou and Laurent encouraged her to take over the women’s team. “This is the future” they convinced me. “They accompanied me for six seasons, where we reached the quarter-final of the Champions League.”
Creator of the women’s training center
More recently, in 2023, Jean-Louis Saez inaugurated the new women’s training center. “It’s like a nod to the creation of the first center.” he smiled, thinking of the paternalistic figures of Louis and Jeanine.
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50 years of the MHSC: “The president wanted to create something around me, I liked it”, recalls Hoda Lattaf, the first female star from Montpellier
“Lately, we’ve been talking about consanguinity. But in this club with a strong identity, neither Louis nor Laurent have put friendship before skill” he gets annoyed. As a good heir to this family history.
