Montpellier Boss Courbis Slams Team’s ‘Scout Camp’ Mentality After Frustrating Draw
By BBC Sport | Ligue 1 – Montpellier
Montpellier manager Rolland Courbis didn’t hold back following his side’s chaotic 3-3 draw with Lens, delivering a scathing — and at times bewildered — assessment of his team’s performance ahead of the winter break.
In a post-match outburst that reflected both frustration and confusion, Courbis questioned his players’ focus and compared the opposing side’s relaxed style to “a group of scouts on vacation,” a reference he repeated while trying to make sense of the match.
“I need your help,” Courbis told reporters. “Personally and professionally, with the holidays approaching and fatigue setting in, I can’t analyze what happened today against an opponent that plays with such dangerous casualness.”
Montpellier let slip a two-goal lead against a spirited Lens side, despite having scored seven goals in their last two matches — a sharp contradiction to recent criticism of the team’s attacking output.
“We’re being criticised for lacking offensive potential, yet we’ve scored seven goals in two games,” Courbis noted. “Lucas Barrios is in great form, scoring in every match. But even with that, I can’t explain how we let this one get away.”
He went on to express disbelief at the performance, both individually and as a unit.
“We drew 3-3 after leading 2-0 — and in football, the hardest part is breaking the deadlock. We’re supposed to be solid collectively, yet we collapsed.”
As for the pitch conditions, Courbis was reluctant to place full blame there either:
“Was the pitch playable? Maybe. We can talk a little about it. We can also congratulate all the players for giving what they could.”
But his sharpest remarks were aimed at Lens, who came from behind with a carefree style that Courbis warned could be deceptively effective.
“They play like a group of scouts on holiday,” he said. “But among those scouts, seven or eight could soon become very good Ligue 1 players.”
The rollercoaster result leaves Montpellier with plenty of soul-searching to do during the winter break, while Courbis himself faces a challenging task — regaining control of a side that, in his view, has become unpredictable and frustratingly inconsistent.
“So, take note, amateur experts,” Courbis concluded with biting sarcasm. “If you can help me figure this one out, I’m all ears.”
