” I told my trainer (Frederic Antonetti) that I needed a few days to reflect, because the situation is complex”, said Bernard Serin, the president of FC Metz, this Wednesday, at the Saint-Symphorien stadium. He was faced with a handful of journalists who had asked him to take stock of the past season, completely failed since ended in a new relegation to Ligue 2, and to discuss the future of the club.
” We have to analyze everything calmly, to make the right decisions about our sporting and financial policy. There is the coach, but also the sports director (Philippe Gaillot, Deputy CEO in charge of sports, formally) and myself, because I include myself in the reflection “Added the boss of the Lorraine club.
Frédéric Antonetti is not the only one concerned by a possible restructuring to come to FC Metz. (A. Réau/The Team)
Bernard Serin has been in office since 2009 and has already experienced two relegations in L2, in 2015 and 2018, each time followed by immediate comebacks. “We may not have the absolute recipe, but we understand the ingredients well. Maybe I need to step back a little more… There are plenty of reasons why it didn’t work this season, but what interests me now is finding solutions. I analyzed the elements that led us to this failure, the responsibilities, it’s the floor above, and for the modifications to be made, it will be in about ten days. »
Francis De Taddeo will return as director of the training center
Knowing that Frédéric Antonetti, who has two years left on his contract, like all his staff, and whose dismissal would cost the club around €3.5 million, charges included (unless there is an amicable arrangement), wishes to continue the adventure, the president, who has enormous esteem for him, is faced with a difficult choice.
The President acknowledged that there were of course ” Unsolicited applications “, the hottest track seeming to lead to Belgian coach Emilio Ferrera (54). The latter is currently in charge of the training center and the under-21s of La Gantoise and which ensured the rise in D1 in 2021 of the club-subsidiary of FC Metz, RFC Seraing, which has been maintained this season.
Emilio Ferrera (right) with Michel Preud’homme, in May 2019, when he was his assistant at Standard Liège. (F. Abbeloos/Isosport)
But when asked about possible reorganization scenarios, such as the exile of Philippe Gaillot to Seraing as sports director and the appointment of Antonetti to this post in Metz, to place his current deputy, Benoît Tavenot, on the bench, who obtained BEPF (Professional Football Coaching Certificate), Serin replied: ” Let me think ! I must calmly meet the people concerned and I will draw conclusions. »
In the meantime, Bernard Serin has half-heartedly confirmed the return as director of the training center of Francis De Taddeo (he has already held this position at FC Metz from 1996 to 2006), from Montpellier, where he has just spent four years in this same role. ” I have known Francis for a very long time, I know his qualities and skills. You will just allow us to do things in order and in good understanding with Laurent Nicollin (president of Montpellier)…”
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