4. “His arrival is of vital interest,” says President Martha

Sports and financial situation, hopes and difficulties sweep the topics in this interview. It should be noted that this was carried out by mutual agreement by exchanging e-mails, since the actual interview planned in Porto by “Sud Ouest” was canceled due to health reasons.

Would you say that the sporting situation is better since the arrival of Gerard Lopez?

He arrives at a crucial moment. I would even say it was of vital importance because without him, we wouldn’t have managed to combine conditions for much longer to ensure the club’s survival. with him…

Sports and financial situation, hopes and difficulties sweep the topics in this interview. It should be noted that this was carried out by mutual agreement by exchanging e-mails, since the actual interview planned in Porto by “Sud Ouest” was canceled due to health reasons.

Would you say that the sporting situation is better since the arrival of Gerard Lopez?

He arrives at a crucial moment. I would even say it was of vital importance because without him, we wouldn’t have managed to combine conditions for much longer to ensure the club’s survival. With him, we made it. Of course, this was not without difficulty. We have a long term project and without Gerard Lopez it would not have been possible to think and define a medium/long term strategy. If I have to sum up what he came up with, it’s stability.

He has a truly inspiring vision for football and is someone who is committed to providing the conditions for success. On the athletic front, after a difficult first year and due to several factors, I would say that the sporting situation is now stable. Of course, in a club with 118 years of history and the fourth most successful club in Portugal – we always want more. There is still a long way to go before the successes of the past are restored. The project led by Gerard Lopez allows us to build this development step by step.

You seem to get along well with him. How do you allocate roles?

I’m the President of the SAD of Boavista FC (Editor’s note: a sports company distinct from a gym) appointed by Gerard Lopez, and that in and of itself already means that there is a great harmony between us. Concretely, we are in constant communication regarding current and future management. We agree on a long-term development strategy. We have an excellent personal and professional relationship. It is a force for the club’s future.

Without Gerard Lopez, it would not have been possible to define a long-term strategy.

Do you think the recruitment over the past two years has been satisfactory?

Last year we almost built a new team, only six players from the previous season remained in the team. In that vein, we’ve been able to bring in some very interesting talent. Boavista now has significant assets, both sporting and financial.

Looking at our team, we were able to attract players with a lot of experience, such as Seba Pérez or Javi Garcia, and other very courteous players, such as Petar Musa, Makouta, Sauer, Nathan, Cannon, Hamache and Porozo, not forgetting Ellis, Mangas and Chidozhi among others others. In Portugal, every club must sell players to balance its accounts.

She described Admar Lopes as a “catraio” (baby) and supporters I met in Porto did not judge his work favorably. Is he a weak point in Gerard Lopez’s team?

I will not comment on those who have passed through Boavista. It’s a page we’ve already folded. I wish him a lot of success, because he is the best for the project. I only focus on the present and the future.

With Ellis and Mangas leaving for Bordeaux, is there a fear that Boavista will be less important than Bordeaux for Gerard Lopez?

It means nothing. As I have said more than once, the two clubs are completely independent and have different projects. I’m pretty sure he wants the biggest success of both of these teams. Both develop in different sports and economic contexts.

Did Purdue pay the 6 million buyout option on Elis? If Bordeaux sells the player for 12 million, for example, will Boavista get a stake?

Ellis is on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy for Bordeaux that I think will be activated. Boavista will also receive a small percentage of any future sale.

“I believe Bordeaux will exercise the Ellis purchase option. Boavista will receive a percentage of the future sale”

Gerard Lopez has set his investments at 15 million since his arrival. Is this the rate of 51% of the unemployed or is it different?

It is clear that he invested in the club, the budget of which increased slightly compared to the past, and there was also the acquisition of sports rights for many players. In addition, it allowed us to invest in infrastructure, in particular in building two training grounds and improving the conditions of the Besa Stadium, for example, renovating the changing rooms and the canteen for players. The value of the acquisition, where the company was and continues to be incurred, was €1 million.

When he arrived, you were talking about a debt of 19 million, one of which has already been paid. Now what is the value of debt? Does it increase with the arrival of GL?

The debt was much higher than those 19 million and did not increase under Gerard Lopez. It’s just the opposite. With him, a significant part of the debt can be renegotiated.

Why is the special activation plan called into question and what is the situation?

PER (editor’s note: creditors’ payment plan, under judicial oversight) has been approved by more than 80% of its creditors and has been challenged by a minority, which is still being debated in the courts.

“It is not true that there are delays in the payment of wages.”

Rumors, as well as information, indicate late payment of wages and bonuses. Is the club still in a difficult situation?

It is not true that there was a delay in the payment of wages: we have completed all the paychecks in La Liga Portugal. In the particular case of Adel Rami, there was no delay, but there is a dispute over the amount to be paid for the termination of his contract, at the player’s request. (Editor’s note: The Court of Arbitration for Sport just asked for €200,000 to be paid to the player.)

What would happen if they were relegated to the second degree?

I don’t even think about landing. It is something that will not happen. We have been preparing for next season for a while.

What are the pros of Gerard Lopez’s arrival and what needs improvement?