At AS Saint-Étienne, doubt was sown regarding the future of the club after the failure of the promotion to Ligue 1 in the play-offs against OGC Nice (0-0, 4-1) at the end of last week. Some rumors notably sent owner Larry Tanenbaum towards the exit despite a buyout only two years ago.
Here he is now up. In a long open letter, the Canadian businessman reaffirmed a commitment “unshakeable” towards ASSE. “In more than thirty years in professional sport, I have learned that lasting success is rarely built on immediate reaction”first explains the boss of the Kilmer Sports Ventures holding company.
“They are based on stability, patience, investment and the ability to stay on course, even when progress is not immediate. (…) The responsibility of a shareholder is not to react to every event, even less to every emotion”he then elaborates.
“A long-term vision”
In other words, it doesn’t matter if the Greens stay in Ligue 2 next season, the motto remains the same. “When Kilmer Sports Ventures committed to Saint-Étienne, we did so on the basis of a long-term vision. We came to help build a club capable of sustainably regaining success, relying on solid governance, coherent choices, while preserving a strong identity. »
Although Larry Tanenbaum concedes, “like any ambitious sporting organization, we must continue to learn, progress and set ourselves the highest standards. We must also, undoubtedly, better explain our vision and the work in progress to support the club’s long-term development. » Enough to reassure Saint-Etienne supporters.
