Ligue 2 club Valenciennes President Eddy Zdziech "expressed his optimism on the budget that he defended before the French National Directorate of Management Control (DNCG) despite the financial difficulties facing his club" in a Q&A with Joël Domenighetti of L’EQUIPE. The new club president presented the team's '14-15 budget Wednesday to the "financial watchdog of Ligue 1 at Ligue headquarters" in Paris. After a summer in which "it was almost wiped off the map," Valenciennes must narrow a deficit of nearly €2M ($2.5M) and will "separate from seven to nine colleagues" in December. Zdziech nevertheless "brushed off the surrounding skepticism and has high standards for increasing the resources" of the club through private partnerships.
Q: How do you balance your budget with a deficit of nearly €2M?
Eddy Zdziech: In theory, we are close to balance. These are projections. We need to wait until the books are closed (in June). Your figures are inaccurate. The club is not in a financial difficulty. Each organization, each sector studied how to spend less and better. After these operating savings, I’ll go, with my teams, in search of business partners to increase our resources. I hope to exceed €3M in private partnerships (there are 70 partnerships currently) and why not get close to €4M.
Q: But the Nord department (of France) was required to pay €400,000, which it has not done. And the agglomeration (of the Porte du Hainaut community in the Nord department) only gave €20,000 of the €200,000 promised…
Zdziech: I do not see why the department did not fulfill its obligations. As for the Porte du Hainaut, it will give between €20,000 and … €200,000.
Q: You talk about reducing costs. Why did you travel to Nancy (France) by plane rather than by train, which costs four times more (approximately €17,500)?
Zdziech: It was a very good expense, an investment since we were accompanied by some companies. If we want partners who support us, we must enrich our relationships.
Q: Can the DNCG ban you from recruiting in January?
Zdziech: I hope to persuade it to allow us the possibility of working serenely.
Q: Do you understand the criticism on your self-sufficient operation of three people, with your son and (coach) Bernard Casoni?
Zdziech: What concerns me is the future of VAFC. Me and my son are volunteers! To say that is an attempt to harm us by giving little importance to the people who work at the club (L’EQUIPE, 12/4).
