At almost 69 years old, Alain Weisz is about to live the final season of a career that has taken him, for four decades, to the forefront of the French basketball scene. Before the first “derby” in the history of the Elite against Paris Basketball, the general manager of the Metropolitans looks back on the development of the Boulogne-Levallois club, the project for a new hall, the arrival of Vincent Collet but also the departure de Jure Zdovc or even his personal future, he who will leave his post this summer to join Marseille, his city.
You repeated several times that the intention of the club was to compete with ASVEL and Monaco on the French scene. You are in the lead after a third of the championship, how does the club feel about it internally?
“Internally, we are happy. Before the new sanitary gauges, we played sold out at all the matches. It’s a great achievement to manage to fill Marcel-Cerdan, even if it’s not a big room. It means that the team likes. The ranking has something to do with it, of course, but the fact of having an attractive game and seeing somewhat surprising things, athletic actions, beautiful game, makes people appreciate it. I don’t speak as a coach, you have noticed that I am no longer (laughs), but it is a great satisfaction. Then the players are well disposed. Being in the lead forces them to try to maintain this pole position. Even if being fall champion is not enough. Now that we know that the team is well built, the season will be played from May. And that’s where you have to be efficient. »
Does the rise in financial and sporting power of the club correspond to your expectations?
” Yes of course. It’s something very collective. Most of the time, clubs are obliged to ask local authorities to participate. This is not the case for us: the local authorities are in pole position, the town hall of Boulogne is making efforts to ensure that we have a good team. Afterwards, it is up to the players to make this work. As GM, I have a role in team building to ensure that there is a balanced situation. Even in a winning team, there are always dissatisfied people. It belongs to me… “
Photo : Alain Weisz (Metropolitans)
