Relegation, record number of consecutive defeats in Ligue 2... A look back at the Mbappé clan's failed first season at the helm of SM Caen

Kylian Mbappé 's family business had warned of its goal of promoting Stade Malherbe Caen (SM Caen) in France and internationally. Probably not in this way: last place, relegation to the National League confirmed in mid-April, something unheard of in 41 years, and a record number of consecutive defeats in Ligue 2 (nine, from December to February). "Our goal is to bring as much clarity as possible. Winning matches will help," Kylian Mbappé declared during a surprise express visit on February 20. Neither victories nor clarity were forthcoming.

How on earth did SM Caen, ranked 7th, 5th, and 6th in Ligue 2 over the past three seasons, get to this point? In addition to the chronic instability at the top since 2018, there's the acquisition of 80% of the club's shares by Interconnected Ventures, a company chaired by Fayza Lamari, the mother of the French star, at the very end of August.

The deal came to fruition late , much to the regret of the buyers, who had chosen Caen (Calvados) several months earlier. They nevertheless invested around twenty million euros, and said they discovered "skeletons in the closet," according to Fayza Lamari's testimony on Ici Normandie, on April 29. She insisted on shared responsibility: "It's not just our mistakes. The club is living beyond its means ( a structural deficit of more than 10 million euros, Editor's note ). And around twenty players had promises from the former management. It took three months to get back on track."

For example, striker Alexandre Mendy has had his release granted by the previous management revoked. "We couldn't find a replacement so late," Fayza Lamari told public radio. Internally, it is acknowledged that "last summer, he failed to take stock of each player, especially with so many players at the end of their contracts ( 17 in total, editor's note )."

An alarming friendly campaign, failed preparations, a late and unbalanced transfer window... The summer of 2024 lays shaky foundations for the coming season. Ziad Hammoud, Mbappé's trusted man, is appointed president for his first experience in football . Gérard Prêcheur, the technical director, will leave for "personal reasons" in January. Recruitment director Reda Hammache will not arrive until the beginning of 2025. "We've been pieces of a puzzle since this summer. We've been suffering, we don't know anything, no one embodies the sporting aspect in management," laments one employee.

On the pitch, the team reflects this fog. "With this squad, we were aiming for survival, perhaps just barely, before a major clean-up," whispers the club's inner circle. But the "transition year" is deteriorating. Former SM Caen player and coach Nicolas Seube was dismissed at the end of December after 23 years in the red and blue. "The management left him all alone," grumbles a close friend. A break with the fans.

To replace him: Bruno Baltazar , a "coach who has ideas and is a good person," according to those around the team. But his game plan doesn't fit with the emergency or the squad. His record at Caen: seven defeats in seven matches. On Ici Normandie, Fayza Lamari reveals that "the players asked to keep Bruno Baltazar, even though we were ready to part ways with him after three matches." However, she is keen not to blame him: "He crystallizes a lot of things, but he's a good coach."

Incidentally, the winter transfer window, which was supposed to boost the team, was a failure. The Normans fell to last place. Baltazar was finally dismissed in mid-February, replaced by Michel Der Zakarian . "We want the coach to embody the sporting aspect. But when there are three in the same season, it's difficult," admits one manager. Like Nicolas Seube and Bruno Baltazar before him, the new coach points to the attitude of certain players: "There are some who, physically and technically, are not up to par, but still want to be on the pitch."

SM Caen is weighed down by overall weakness and improbable individual errors. Pointing at the team while scouting the pitch before a match, one employee blurts out: "Some seem to be coping well with the situation. We can't. We're ashamed. We're angry." The atmosphere is tense.

Anger at the players' responsibility is coupled with growing distrust of the Mbappé clan and its disconcerting communication. On January 24, after yet another defeat against Guingamp, Ziad Hammoud finally broke his silence but remained only 22 seconds flat in front of the media, without answering any questions. On the evening of the relegation , April 18, at the end of a disastrous match against Martigues (0-3) punctuated by a pitch invasion , the president announced... that he would not speak. He promised a press release and a time for discussion in the following days. A promise that remained a dead letter, despite the sporting cataclysm.

Management claims "not to overcommunicate," but it piles up clumsiness and misunderstandings, also offending several "old hands." Invited by Ici Normandie to react to hostile banners (notably "Fayza, the hicks are in the shit"), Kylian Mbappé's mother admits "having thought about leaving Caen. I told Kylian, humbly, that we weren't deserved. Kylian and Ziad dissuaded me from leaving." A confession described as arrogant, once again very badly received by the Caen environment.

Upset by the legacy of the former management and by players "who forget they have responsibilities," the Mbappé clan highlights its investment, its initial measures (pitch renovations, weight room, ties with partners) and its "love" for the club, as well as, lucidly, a delicate financial context: "The budget will be divided by about three and a half. There won't only be happy decisions to be made," warns Fayza Lamari. Behind the scenes, employees are worried: "They're talking about lowering our salaries even though they're not that high. And maybe we should look for work," predicts one of them.

Uncertainty still reigns over next season, even though the organizational chart has been consolidated, despite supporters' demands for change. "If we had good results, we'd be calling this model a genius," contests a club member. If we were to make a choice, we'd be putting a stop to relegation. The model is preparing to tackle the harsh third tier of French football with a new coach, a largely remodeled squad, and a fan base that promises to remain loyal, despite the distrust. With the hope of regaining clarity and victories.