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Jean-Emmanuel de Witt named AS Monaco CEO

by: Luke Entwistle
26/05/2022

After weeks of speculation, AS Monaco announced that is has appointed Jean-Emmanuel de Witt as their new CEO, replacing Oleg Petrov who will continue in an altered role at the club.

Frenchman de Witt has a vast international business experience, having worked at the forefront of businesses such as JCDeaux. He is also a fluent French, English and Russian speaker.

In his new role at AS Monaco, he will be responsible for all departments at the club, except for sports management, which is still under the management of sporting director Paul Mitchell, who in turn will be directly accountable to owner Dmitry Rybolovlev.

In a press release by AS Monaco, de Witt said, “I want to thank Dmitry Rybolovlev and the administrative council for their confidence. I am delighted to join AS Monaco as CEO and to work towards obtaining results that echo this great, historic club.”

On the appointment, Rybolovlev added, “I wish to welcome de Witt. He has solid managerial experience. During his professional career, he has achieved great results, which is a testament to his great understanding of different cultures and sectors. I am happy that he is joining us to direct the club’s operations and to develop its activities.”

Meanwhile, Petrov will also remain at the club. He will continue to fulfil his function as a member of the administrative council, as well as his role as Vice-president.

 

Photo of Jean-Emmanuel de Witt by AS Monaco

 

 

 

 

ASM preview: “We have nothing to lose”

by: Luke Entwistle
20/05/2022

AS Monaco manager Philippe Clement has revealed that guaranteed qualification to the Europa League has eased the pressure going into Saturday’s game, saying that the team has “nothing to lose”.

For the first time all season, Philippe Clement’s side go into a match as an occupant of a podium spot; it is the first time that they are the hunted and not the hunter. Only one match remains to defend their position. It is reasonable to assume that under such circumstances, the pressure is mounting on the players to deliver, but Clement revealed that the opposite is in fact true.

“It’s the first time we have nothing to lose,” he began. “We have already secured Europa League football. That was a club objective at the start of the season. It hasn’t been easy catching up to get to this point. Now there are extra things that we can win on Saturday. That is different from earlier months,” he concluded.

Questioned by Monaco Life as to whether that means that a Champions League qualification will have meant that they have surpassed expectations, the former Club Brugge coach replied, “I don’t know because nobody told me that if we didn’t get onto the podium then it’s a bad season. That’s never been said here.”

He continued, “You have to look at the entire season. The club lost too many points in the first 60-70% of games of the season. We lost too many points in that period. It’s good that everyone has reacted at the end and done good things.”

Before heading up to Lens for what Clement rightly described as a “decisive” fixture, the side were joined by Dimitry Rybolovlev at the club’s training ground on Thursday. He observed training alongside the technical director James Bunce, whilst sporting director Paul Mitchell was also present during the session at La Turbie.

“Rybolovlev said he was happy with everyone’s work, and encouraged us ahead of Saturday’s match,” said Clement. “We are happy to be able to count on his support and that has always been the case since I’ve been here,” he added.

The presence and support of their owner isn’t the only thing that has buoyed them ahead of the trip up north. Youssouf Fofana in particular revealed that Wednesday’s open training session at the Stade Louis II had given them “energy,” whilst Clement is also looking at the longer-term impacts of the event.

He told Monaco Life, “Seeing our supporters can give us a lot of energy for the future. Lots of children came to see us. As the tickets for the Lens match sold out so quickly, they won’t necessarily be able to attend the match, but I’m sure they’ll watch on the big screen at the Stade Louis II. To have more supporters inside the ground, supporting the players is certainly one of my objectives for the future.”

But it is AS Monaco’s short-term success that may determine whether such objectives can be met. The allure of Champions League football at the Stade Louis II cannot be understated, and a draw against Lens would suffice to achieve it, although a victory would ensure safe passage to the group stages without needing to pass through the perilous play-offs: a hurdle at which Monaco stumbled this season. Although there are many scenarios and different moving parts going into this final weekend, the reality is that Monaco’s destiny is in their own hands: a position that Clement and Monaco clearly relish.

 

Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

 

 

 

Fans and club in unison as AS Monaco’s final challenge awaits

by: Luke Entwistle
19/05/2022

Players and supporters alike revelled in the “good vibes” during an open training session at the Stade Louis II on Wednesday, as AS Monaco prepare for their final game of the Ligue 1 season.

Prior to Wednesday’s session, the club recognised the unwavering support of the fan groups as they were presented with the new AS Monaco 2022/23 home kit by owner Dimitry Rybolovlev before last Saturday’s match against Brest.

The 18 fan groups, from all across France and even Italy, are what give Monaco their motto “Everywhere. Always.”. The groups are largely responsible for the club filling the away ends matches across the country, and they will do so once more before the season’s end.

In under a day, Monaco sold their 1,000-seat allocation for the trip to RC Lens on Saturday, where just a draw will suffice to earn them a place on the Ligue 1 podium. For those who don’t have the opportunity to make the trip up north, there is an exciting alternative right here in the Principality.

A giant screen will be erected in front of the Pésage stand of the Stade Louis II, which will broadcast the game live. It will be a spectacular open-air cinema experience, with the stadium’s iconic arches towering above the screen. With qualification for the Champions League on the line, there is bound to be a great atmosphere in a stand that is usually inhabited by the club’s Ultras group.

Tickets for the event can be bought at www.billeterie.asmonaco.com, or from the Stade Louis II ticket office. Access is free for season ticket holders, whilst general admission will cost just €5. VIP access is available for €70 (without tax), and can be bought by contacting gmotyka@asmonaco.com.

Fans can arrive from 8pm and a whole host of pre-match, half-time and post-match activities have been planned, and mascot Bouba will also be in attendance.

Before making the trip, fans descended on the stadium on Wednesday to attend an opening training session. On a hot day in the Principality, nearly 300 fans came to watch the likes of Aurélien Tchouaméni and Wissam Ben Yedder prepare for the big fixture. There was no shortage of determination and effort from the players, but all of them still mustered the energy to engage with fans after the session as they posed for pictures, chatted and signed autographs.

As Tchouaméni and Youssouf Fofana revealed post-session, not only was this a great event to allow fans to feel even closer to the club, it was also beneficial for the players themselves. “They’ve given us energy and good vibes,” said Fofana. “It’s a pleasure to train in front of the public.”

Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

 

 

 

ASM preview: “We are still the hunters”

by: Luke Entwistle
12/05/2022

Speaking on Thursday ahead of the final home game of the season, AS Monaco manager Philippe Clement said that his team still assumes the role of the “hunter” in the Champions League race.

During the press conference, Clement sought to dismiss the notion that Monaco’s role in the race for the Champions League places had changed. Rennes’ loss on Wednesday night against recently crowned Coupe de France winners Nantes saw Clement’s men take a step onto the Ligue 1 podium for the first time all season.

However, he told Monaco Life: “I haven’t seen a difference in mentality because you stay in the role of hunter whilst there are still teams ahead of you. We’re ambitious, we want to win every match, and more and more I see this mentality in the dressing room.”

Pushing Monaco towards their goal is a positive mentality that Clement himself has engendered, and which permeates the entire squad, not just the starting 11. “It’s easy to have this positivity, to have this positive atmosphere with players who have played a lot, but I also see it in the players who have played less the last couple of months. There is really a beautiful harmony between the players and also an atmosphere with a lot of competitiveness during the training sessions.”

That “harmony” and “positive atmosphere” naturally gives rise to a group of players that sacrifice themselves for the collective, and that is what Clement is now beginning to see, the manager citing Ruben Aguilar and Wissam Ben Yedder as embodiments of that mindset.

“Aguilar is a survivor,” Clement began. “When there is a wall on the pitch, you can ask him to run through it and he will. He has an exceptional desire to play, but to run as well. He is someone who is always there for the team and does things to help others.”

Clement has also noted a change in Ben Yedder’s play since arriving. “He has become very versatile. When I arrived, he was very focused on scoring goals, but on little else. Now, he does a lot more work off the ball than when I arrived and he is more focused on doing that. Because of that, we’re stronger as a team.”

But for long-term absentees Krepin Diatta and Cesc Fabregas, Clement has a full squad to pick from; neither will feature again this season, whilst the latter’s contract expiry means he may not pull on the red and white of Monaco again.

In this hunt, Brest play the role of the prey. Monaco lost 2-0 when they visited the Stade France le Blé earlier in the season, but on their best run since 2017, the Principality side are now a different beast and are hungry for Champions League football next season.

 

 

Photo by Monaco Life

 

 

 

 

 

The Monaco model in perfect working order

by: Luke Entwistle
11/05/2022

AS Monaco signed Mamadou Coulibaly to his first professional contract last Thursday. The ink on the midfielder’s contract had barely dried before rumours of Aurélien Tchouaméni’s expected departure reached fever-pitch.

The concurrent but contrasting stories provide a perfect snapshot of a healthy club culture, which prioritises youth development, yielding both on-field and off-field benefits.

According to Foot Mercato, Monaco fended off interest from some of Europe’s elite clubs, including Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, in order to sign 18-year-old Coulibaly to a contract running until 2025.

Speaking in a press release, sporting director Paul Mitchell said, “The development of young talent in our academy is a priority in our sporting project… I would like to congratulate Mamadou for the work he has already done. Of course, there is still a long way to go and it’s up to him to continue to work even harder in order to pass the next stages of his progression.”

Whilst first-team opportunities in the short-term may be limited, there is every chance that he could fill Tchouaméni’s role. The French midfielder has once again excelled this year, and as we approach the final gameweeks before the end of the season, rumours about his reportedly probable departure are only intensifying.

During last Wednesday’s press conference, when asked about staying at the Principality side in order to aid them in another European adventure, Tchouaméni replied, “Yeah, why not? The elimination last year stuck in my throat. Playing Champions League football with Monaco isn’t something that would displease me.”

The French international’s contract runs until 2024, with an option for a further year, but just hours after the above declaration, RMC were reporting that he is indeed set on departing this summer.

According to their report on Thursday, Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid are the favourites to land the much-coveted Monégasque talisman, although PSG haven’t given up on the idea of bringing him to the Parc des Princes. If he is to leave, he won’t do so on the cheap; a fee in excess of €50 million has previously been touted for the midfielder, a figure that could yet rise further, especially if a bidding war ensues.

Tchouaméni’s two goals in Friday’s win over Lille may have also added a few million to an already hefty price tag. Should he leave, his departure would be an archetypal example of AS Monaco: a club that provides a clear pathway for young players to break-through, develop, and often, eventually, leave.

Now a fully-fledged French international, coveted by Europe’s elite, Coulibaly would do well to follow in Tchouaméni’s footsteps, and he is in the right place to do it.

 

 

Photo by AS Monaco

 

 

 

 

ASM preview: “We’ve given ourselves the right to dream”

by: Luke Entwistle
05/05/2022

AS Monaco midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni told the press on Wednesday that Monaco have given themselves “the right to dream” at the end of the season, whilst Philippe Clement struck a wary tone.

The press assembled in La Turbie on Wednesday for a pre-match press conference ahead of Friday’s trip to reigning champions LOSC Lille.

Having fought back from the brink after a disappointing March, Tchouaméni admitted that he had doubts about bouncing back to launch an assault on the Champions League places, but is grateful to be in the fight for the podium.

The Frenchman told Monaco Life, “Honestly, every season has its own story. If you had asked me after the defeat against Strasbourg if we would have won seven in a row, honestly, I wouldn’t have believed you. Now, we have given ourselves the right to dream. We have three games left, starting with an important match against Lille. Away from home, that will be a difficult match.”

That is the objective for Tchouaméni, who has often been linked with a move away from AS Monaco, but who would nonetheless like to play Champions League football with the Principality side next season.

“The elimination in the play-off round last year stuck in my throat. Playing Champions League football with Monaco isn’t something that would displease me.”

Only three “finals” stand between Monaco and Champions League football next season. They are only outside of the podium on goal difference, whilst the two teams ahead of them, Rennes and Marseille, must still play against each other. In all likelihood – although it isn’t completely guaranteed – Monaco will qualify should they win their remaining fixtures.

Clement, however, is wary of Friday’s opponents Lille, who despite losing 3-0 against Troyes in an ill-tempered match at the weekend, are nonetheless the reigning champions of France. “I’m not too fond of facing teams when they have just lost a match,” admitted Clement.

“They will want to show a reaction. Lille are also strong at home, where they have only lost three times all season… so I’m mistrustful of this opponent.”

Clement will likely be able to count on the same side that won 2-0 against Angers on Sunday. Monaco Life was present at training in La Turbie on Wednesday and can report that Ruben Aguilar, despite seeming to come off with a niggle over the weekend, did train with the group. Gelson Martins and Cesc Fabregas are still absent, and neither will make the trip to Lille.

Tchouaméni says that the recent seven-game run has given them the “right to dream”. It is now in Monaco’s hands to make that dream a reality.