Interview with Erick Mathé: Taking on the Challenge of Leading Montpellier Handball

How do you feel ?

I’m a little drained. It was long, a month and a half of negotiations. It’s never easy to have your head in several places. Next week I will be with the France team; there, there are the Chambéry matches (Sunday in Paris), with a busy schedule and a lot of injuries; and then Montpellier which presents itself. I am the three-headed man (laughs). It’s a lot of things at once. But it’s also a lot of fun and happiness.

Were you afraid it wouldn’t happen?

I questioned myself. I don’t know if it’s fear. I could clearly see that things were floundering, that they weren’t moving forward. At the same time, my president told me that it would be done. It took a while to decide. Then, at one point, I said to myself: “Isn’t Montpellier going to get tired of this?” Montpellier also held its own. I’m flattered that he didn’t give up.

You are going to take over from a legend (Patrice Canayer), does that scare you or galvanize you?

It makes me proud to succeed Patrice. The story is beautiful. I was his deputy for three years (2015-2018). When I left, with Alain Carmand (the club’s physiotherapist), we said to each other like this, dreaming, joking: “Go and get tougher and then come back”. I’m back.

Have you spoken to Patrice Canayer?

Yes. To keep him informed of the progress of the negotiations. It was the least I could do. It didn’t go any further.

He will have spent 30 years at the MHB next June. How would you like to be like him?

Having your titles (laughs) even if it seems inaccessible today. He has incredible daily fishing despite years of training. It’s remarkable to still have this flame. I would like to have the same one. With fatigue, defeats, sometimes it’s not easy to get back on track, to start again and he always knew how to do it.

Have you contacted Valentin Porte, the team captain?

No. I didn’t want to interfere with Montpellier’s current season. I’m going to meet a few players again next week with the Blues. We will have time to talk about it then. And it’s very good that it’s happening on this occasion. Out of respect, I didn’t call anyone.

You mention the international week. Will you continue to be Guillaume Gille’s deputy after the Olympic Games?

I can’t say anything at the moment. It is the French Federation which will communicate on the subject in due time.

Are you arriving in Montpellier alone, with a staff?

Quite a few staff members are at the end of their contract. At these times, we receive a lot of external requests. I will reserve the first part of my interviews for the current staff. I want to meet everyone, to discuss to see what is possible before considering another horizon.

Planning for Montpellier, while the season is complicated in Chambéry, shouldn’t it be simple?

We knew that our start to the season would be complicated due to the schedule. What we had not anticipated was the avalanche of injuries. In any case, I really want to finish well in Chambéry. I enjoyed myself for five years. There’s a great audience, a great room. I want to finish very well and give back everything the club has given me.

What are the objectives set by Julien Deljarry, your future president?

To simply regain titles. Afterwards, in terms of management, I believe that we have a lot in common with Patrice. The squad will not change much. Only Panic is up for it. I’m going to stay on track, especially since I won’t arrive until after the Olympics. I am not going to revolutionize the Montpellier game in 15 days.