- December 26th, 2004 - NTV morning sports show:

In his Sunday 11:300am sports show, Ibrahim Wehbe received Sagesse Club Board of Trustees President Mr. Henri Chalhoub along with the Club manager Mr. Joseph Abdelmassih.
Between the host's and the direct phone calls' questions, both Sagesse officials covered the actual issues already detailed in the previous interviews, mainly the questions of the basketball preparations, the imports, the event of the 29th and football matters.



Q: Joseph Abdelmassih was at a certain period during the last season a name tightly associated with Champville. Now you are with Sagesse, what is the difference between Joseph then and now?

JA: Nothing at all, I'm still the same person. We are people who love basketball, and the new administration of Champville didn't want us with them, so we left. When Mr. Chalhoub was appointed as president of the board of trustees in Sagesse Club, I came along with him and we are working now for basketball and football in Sagesse Club.

Q: What is the difference between Sagesse in the past and Sagesse now?

HC: There is a new spirit in the Club now, a spirit of cooperation and team work. This is the major change, and like every change it is difficult in the beginning. We are facing some problems and solving them along the way, and we're succeeding in raising the club to better than where it was before.

Q: Are Mechantaf and Khatib staying with the team?

HC: Mechantaf is the captain and a keystone in the club. As for Khatib, we had negotiations and we offered him an impressive amount of money, but he couldn't leave.

Q: Mr. Abdelmassih, as a manager, how do you evaluate the team's situation?

JA: Better and better, we faced some problems with the imports in this period of holidays and feasts. But thank God, 3 imports are now with us undergoing serious trials, while 2 others are arriving tomorrow and Tuesday. 
Our situation is rather good, but surely it could have been better had we had more time to prepare. We only took charge of the club a month ago, and the team has started preparing without the foreigners since 2 weeks only.
About the remaining players, all stayed except Fady, Brian and Roy who chose not to stay and left to other teams. As for the new Lebanese players, we already signed Paul Khoury, Joe Mansour, Marwan Hajj and Joe Ghattas.
There are also other Lebanese players coming, but we will keep them as a surprise for the event of the 29th.

Q: Very honestly Mr. Chalhoub, do you regret giving the release to high standard players like Ahmad, Madison, Vogel, etc. so they could join Sporting?

HC: Honestly yes, but I wish them success with their new club and I wish Sporting success with them very sincerely. That's sports!



Q: But when you gave them the release, didn't you think that you might in the future take the presidency of another team and need those players?

HC: The most important thing to me is the well being of the players, their happiness and security, so that they won't find themselves unemployed and lost. All I did was to find them a secure place where they would resume their work decently and respectfully. I would like everyone to stop talking about money and huge deals, there is nothing true about it, it was all about the players and their future. It was the players who took money for their transfer so good for them, that's what I find right! I didn't leave my players on the streets like other people did!
I guess that by any standards, this should be a credit to me not a reproach.

Q: Are you intending to take back the ex-Champville players that are actually playing with Sporting and bring them to Sagesse next season?

HC: Not at all, may Sporting get the best benefit with them. As you know, transfers are many in Basketball, but I can assure you that I will not make any move personally at the end of the season to get those players back.

JA: We have top players, competent and up to the challenge, and I don't think that we will need any player from Sporting.

Q: You are investing a huge amount of money in a critical time in Lebanon, and you talk about turning the Club into an institution, as the former responsible promised but failed to achieve. What is the situation now?

HC: It is true I invest money, but money isn't everything: I love basketball, I used to play myself, and I am a manager, I would like to manage Sagesse in a proper way to reach incredible heights never seen before.

Q: We are aware of your will to keep the names and details related to your imports in the shadow for now. But what can you at least tell us before the event of the 29th when you will finally unveil the details?

JA: Yes we are keeping the names under cover because we faced a lot of problems as soon as the name of a player was disclosed. Suddenly this player won't come to Lebanon for example, for reasons unknown to us. All I can tell you is that the imports are NBA players, and not ex-NBA, because they used to play last season there. One of them is Kenny Satterfield, as it was revealed in a local sport magazine, the other names we'll keep as a surprise for next Wednesday.

Q: Former president Choueiry was criticized for being the one man show of the former administration, while you claim to turn into the Club into an institution. After your arrival, some voices are hinting that you are too starting to work as a one man show, controlling everything. What is your answer to such a statement?

HC: What do you think? Look at us, Joseph and me, I didn't come alone! No, no, we are working as a team, and today I am here tomorrow maybe not, the Club will go on and the team will still be working, that is my ambition and what I am working to establish.

Q: From the moment you took charge of the Club, your slogan was Sagesse is for the whole Lebanon…

HC: Yes and the first thing I asked for was to stop all the insults and the confessional behaviorism, and I insisted that Sagesse will be for everyone, and my slogan is "Sagesse is Lebanon", and that is where we're heading.

Q: Brian and Roy issue was the subject of much talk and gossip, that they took money, etc. What is you r response?

JA: When we came to Sagesse, we offered the players the exact contracts they had, all agreed except Brian, Roy and Fady who sort of blackmailed us. We even tried to play along their blackmail, but it didn't wok out, and yes there was external interference from former Sagesse administration in order to prevent them from signing with us. I don't know what are the purpose and aims of such a behavior from these people, and the players revealed the direct calls and pressure they have been put under.



Q: In case you don't succeed with the new team and the new players after a season, will you leave Sagesse back to Champville, or leave it for good, or will you stay?

HC: Back to Champville, I don't think so! Leave Sagesse, not at all, I am a very determined person and I will succeed with Sagesse, don't anybody worry.
What is my ambition today? It's about Sports becoming the main interest for our youth, making it clear that Sports is no more a complimentary issue, but a vital element socially to our children. Even his Holiness the Pope said that sports is very important in a man's life. We want our kids to idolize and take for example healthy people such as sports athletes and stars, and not be driven to lower values and social plagues like drugs and alcohol, etc.

This is our message to our youth. Our youth is our utmost priority. Why are we bringing imports? Not to win with the imports but rather to let our kids and youngsters learn from them and progress. But this will take time of course.

Q: There were promises and talks about building a home court for Sagesse Club basketball activities in the past, but nothing was done. Any news about this issue?

HC: We already had a meeting concerning this with the honorary president of the Club, father Abdelssater, the superior of the College, and we are seriously considering the issue. 

Q: What about the 29th event? What will happen?

JA: The team will be introduced, people will get to know them, an artistic performance will take place, and lots of prizes will be drawn among which tickets to accompany the team to Dubai. It will be a big event that will happen yearly from now on.

Q: So the foreign players will be announced then. But when will you have them ready?

JA: Today we have 3, Monday the 4th and Tuesday the 5th. We will chose 2 of them. There is an excellent chemistry now among all the present players and the coach, and it is building very well.

Q: They say that there are still talks going on between you and Khatib. Is it true?

HC: Yes, but not bound to reach a happy end or now. The league has already started and it is difficult for now. Hopefully later on things will get fixed.

Q: What is the situation with the football team?

HC: We had a meeting two days ago with the football team, players and staff, and we talked about all the issues. We took a managerial decision after the 0-4 defeat against Ahed last week by giving the players a last chance in today's game against Nejmeh. Either they succeed or otherwise we will have drastic countermeasures to be taken accordingly.
And I am not saying they should win over Nejmeh, what I want is for them to show decent football, to play well and show determination and professionalism. They are professional players, they must act accordingly. 
Today they must play confidently. With courage and determination. We are providing them with everything they need, so there is no excuse for unprofessional behavior.

Q: Could your love to basketball divert you from the other activities in the Club?

HC: I didn't miss any of the 5 last football games So what does this mean? And I have been honored with the visit of the president of the Lebanese Football Federation Mr. Hashim Haidar, and we talked about how to work on the communication between all clubs, and to get to know each other better for the sake of the Lebanese football improvement.

Q: Will Sagesse participate in the coming Asia Champions Cup?

JA: We will attend all the cups and tournaments that we can and have the right to attend. Asia, Arab, Dubai, even European cups that are planned and thought of by Mr. Chalhoub who has really big plans and dreams.

Q: Is there any contact with Ghassan Sarkis with plans to future collaboration?

JA: He has signed a contract with his new team
HC: No, and it will not happen, we have our coach, let's be respectful and professional in our behavior. Sarkis is not on our list for negotiation.

Q: Why did I take such a long time for the negotiations to succeed for you to become the head of the Club?

HC: There was mutual conditions that had to be agreed upon, and both parties had to be reassured about the future. Also, there was of course interference from people who didn't want the deal to succeed. These things take time. My conditions were simple and not despotic, pure common sense things like one head to decide after a committee gives his opinion. Otherwise, if you put many people as decision makers, you end up with no decision at all. So it was those kind of conditions, managerial ones I would say that mostly come out of my expertise in managing about 36 companies worldwide.



Q: Are there any more Lebanese players that might sign to Sagesse?

JA: Yes we still have contacts with players here and abroad, and we might sign some of them in the coming days.

Q: Are you closely following the basketball scene and teams presently? Do you think of a team able to level up and threaten Sporting now?

JA: Sagesse.

Q: If Antoine Choueiry decides to go back to Sagesse, what would be your answer?

HC: That is a matter related to his excellency Archbishop Paul Matar, I'm not entitled to decide about this. I know that Mr. Choueiry wanted to leave, if he decides to come back to the basketball scene well of course he's most welcome. But I know that he's a man of his words, and he said no to sports and basketball and that's it.

Q: How is the relation with Sporting's coach Fouad Abou Chacra, and might he become Sagesse next coach ?

HC: Fouad is very close to our heart
JA: He has a long contract for 4 years with Sporting now, so the answer is of course no. After 4 years, if he decides so then we'll see.
HC: There is very good rapport with Mr. Hisham Jaroudi, the president of Sporting, and we are really in good terms, so it is out of the question to act low and do such mean and petty moves.
We need from all the clubs' presidents the courage and determination to work on their fan base so that everyone will now that it's all about sports, fierce and aggressive competition on the court, with fair cheering, and let the best team win with ethical and civilized behavior once the game is over.

Q: How do you situate the Lebanese national selection? Do you think that the previous achievements might be realized again?

HC: Hopefully, we have better Lebanese players unfolding, whether coming from abroad or locally, and we hope that Sagesse will contribute with a big number of players to the coming selection.
JA: The selection is facing problems, but the Clubs are supporting the federation with players and techniques in order to raise its level and quality.

Q: What do you promise the football fans for next year since nothing can be done anymore this season?

HC: A big surprise, and a big team

Q: Would it be like a Real Madrid pattern of gathering a line up of stars and big local names with high caliber imports?

HC: With all modesty, it would be done according to our own pattern and ways.