Galthie insists he has player backing at Montpellier

Galthie insists he has player backing at Montpellier

MONTPELLIER (FRANCE) - Montpellier head coach Fabien Galthie insisted Tuesday that his players are "200 percent" behind him despite a run of six straight defeats.

Montpellier head coach Fabien Galthie supervises a warm-up session prior to the European Champions Cup game against Bath in Montpellier, southern France on December 5, 2014

Last weekend a newspaper report said the French Top 14 club were on the brink of letting the former France captain go before a source close to Montpellier revealed that president Mohed Altrad was sticking by his man.

But speaking Tuesday, Galthie said a clear-the-air meeting with players on Sunday had revealed they are fully behind the former Stade Francais coach.

Asked if there was tension in the camp during the discussions, with Altrad asking players to take on a more vocal role in training, Galthie was unequivocal.

"Never. I'm not going to divulge the secrets of the alcove but on Sunday it was moreover the opposite," he said.

"And all the better if they declare their love for me. After four-and-a-half years of hard work, it's pretty nice to hear that.

"The players asked me to keep going and do more. They are 200 percent behind me and I've taken into consideration the new type of management."

Galthie blamed the injury to fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc, who broke his tibia in early October and is out until the end of January, for the club's downturn in recent fortunes -- they have lost three straight league matches to sides battling relegation, as well as three European Champions Cup clashes.

"We've had a succession of poor performances, with six successive defeats," said Galthie.

"The injury to Francois, who has been amazing as a player and captain, really hurt us.

"With Francois we would have won at least four of those six matches."

Galthie also defended his record since joining Montpellier in 2010.

"When I arrived the club was in a different kind of crisis, they couldn't pay their bills," said Galthie.

"We worked really hard, we took the team into the (Top 14) final in the first year and since then we've always qualified for the European Cup.

"In this project the vision was to establish the club amongst the best in France. We're still there, even if right now we're struggling."

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