Martini: We've got to be humble in everything we do

A former EHF Champions League winner is at the moment one of the most important people inside PSG Handball. Bruno Martini won the competition in 2003 with Montpellier, before playing another final in 2009 with Kiel.

"In 2003, Montpellier had a very strong team. We had two diamonds, Michael Guigou and Nikola Karabatic and one guy, Thierry Omeyer, who would soon become the best goalkeeper on the planet. All the players were one on the court, we had a very strong defence, and that allowed us to win the title,” said the 43-year-old, who ten years later, is general manager of PSG.

"My role is to connect everybody inside the club. I have an on-going look at what's happening on the court, but I never interfere with the coaches. They know their places and I know mine. Sometimes we discuss, before I think I've still got my handball player's eye, but we never disagree,” said Martini

Martini arrived at the PSG as a member of the organisation in 2010. After nearly two years, new owners arrived and Martini kept his manager place. It was, as he recalls, "a bit of a whirlwind”.

“The new president, Jean Claude Blanc, helped me to settle in, but it was a little bit of a rush. In six weeks, we had signed ten new players".

Even though such a change, going from nearly playing in the French second league to signing Mikkel Hansen, could be seen as difficult by many others, it apparently went quite smoothly.

"The fact that we didn't play any European cup last season made things easier for us. We're growing step by step,” said the former goalkeeper.

Meeting with the Champions League again

Martini's last encounter with the VELUX EHF Champions League is four years old now and he has noticed quite a lot of changes.

"You can't allow yourself to have off-days now. There are more games, you've got new clubs emerging every year.

“Even five years ago, Polish and Macedonian clubs didn't have any results, but now they are serious contenders.

“You've got to be well prepared and to be ready to take on the pressure, because these days, it's like everybody's watching the Champions League,” he notes.

You'd think that he is a man used to this kind of pressure though, but Bruno Martini explains that his experience playing in various countries, no matter how big the club was, did not teach him anything that he could use these days.  However, he knows what is needed for his side to make it as a major European force.

"I think we lack a decent arena at the moment, because none of the ones we're using are adapted to this level. This, sadly, has not much to do with us.

“We need to produce more of our own players, even though we've got some examples at the moment, such as Jeffrey Mtima,” claimed the general manager.

During the summer PSG were touted among the contenders to reach the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne.

Many voices were raised to note that Paris did not have the tradition and history of the likes of Kiel and Barcelona for example and that building a team in one year was not enough. However, Martini is quick to dismiss these claims.

“It has happened in the past, with clubs like Portland San Antonio and it still happens, look at Vardar Skopje. I can understand people being unhappy because we are another contender, but that's the way it is. Yes, we are coming a little bit out of the blue, but there is work behind this,” said Martini.

Everything in Paris must shine

There has been work for sure, but there is also a lot of work ahead. After four games in the group phase, Paris has one win, one draw and two defeats, and lie just fifth in Group C, far from what the fans were expecting. Once again, the manager of the club is keen to ask for patience.

“We know we still lack experience in everything, on the court, in the offices. I understand people's impatience, that is completely normal and working in Paris is even harder because of this, people tend to ask for more here.

“Everything must shine because we are in Paris, but we have got to take a step back and think about where we were 16 months ago.

"We've got to be very humble in everything we do. We've got high ambitions for the near-future, but everyone has to adapt to the high level that the brand PSG requires.

“That includes players, coaches and everyone in the offices. That is the price to pay to be among the best,” concluded Martini.

Photo credit: Kevin Domas