No surprise, OGC Nice finishes its season with a defeat. Blocked by a solid Lyon team, the Nice players end the season in a poor 17th place. A painful ranking both financially and sportingly. The task is immense in preparation for the next season.
A goal by Konรฉ at the end of a Grenier free-kick allowed the “Gones” to definitively secure their place in the European Cup in fifth position in the standings. To achieve this feat, they faced a rather pale group of “Eaglets.” Stuck, without creativity, Claude Puel’s men didn’t really differ from their overall performance this season.
Yet, the coach had decided to field his best team on paper, unlike the last match in Evian. No more inexperienced youngsters but the usual starters. Players in difficulty, more inclined to go on vacation than to make one last big effort. And one can understand them, as the 2013/2014 season was complicated. With 12 wins, 6 draws, and especially 20 defeats punctuated by 30 goals scored against 44 conceded, Nice often found themselves in dark times.
We will also remember those 7 consecutive defeats, a historic low for the Gym, and the difficulties observed in a large majority of players. Cvitanich, Eysseric, Digard, Bauthรฉac, Pejcinovic… So many men whose levels alternated between good but mostly bad. Adding to this, the stubbornness of a coach, guilty of playing his progeny rather than managing his group. With each start of Grรฉgoire Puel, a part of the group detached a little more from the sporting project. Mentally, many let go, and the management of the ex-Lyon coach was largely responsible. While his management last season was almost perfect, this year, mistakes followed mistakes.
With all these ingredients, we get a 17th place, quite deserved and financially penalizing. It is difficult to build on such a result, except by reassessing and questioning quite a few things. The sporting and human management need to be reviewed to avoid an even greater disappointment next season. Digard, who announced his wish to leave the club, understood this well, and the possible departures of Ospina, Kolodziecjzak, Cvitanich, Bauthรฉac, or even Pejcinovic will not contradict this fact. It is up to the management to react.
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