Gauthier Ganaye, President of OGC Nice, presented his new recruit yesterday afternoon: Gilles Grimandi. The former player and member of Arsenal’s recruitment team is joining his former teammate, Patrick Vieira, in Nice. He will take on the role of Technical Director.
It’s official. After the departure in January of the president, Jean-Pierre Rivère, and the general director, Julien Fournier, due to a conflict with the Sino-American shareholders, it is now the duo Ganaye/Grimandi who will take over at OGC Nice. Teammates at Arsenal from 1997 to 2002, Gilles Grimandi joins Patrick Vieira in Nice “a guarantee of working well and an additional asset. I’m glad he’s by my side, but the project was broader: training center, training facilities, stadium… I was tied to Arsenal by a human project. For me, the Nice project was similar and coherent” clarified the former Gunners defender.
“Mathieu Louis-Jean will replace Serge Recordier”
But Gilles Grimandi is not coming alone: “I have my convictions, my way of working. I’m coming with Mathieu Louis-Jean, who will oversee recruitment. He worked for Manchester United and knows French football well. He will take over from Serge Recordier starting Monday.” Grimandi assures “the team is young and progressing. The project is to regularly be in European competitions. With eight games to go, we’re still in the race, we’ll put a lot of energy into it. Recruitment could be different depending on the club’s attractiveness.”
Gauthier Ganaye reassured about the club’s acquisition: “Chien Lee’s investment is long-term; he is not selling. My arrival, that of Gilles Grimandi, and Mathieu Louis-Jean are further guarantees. Chien is very transparent; otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”
Also on the sporting side: “Atal will not move next season. He will indeed remain in Nice!” The new Technical Director stated that he found “a lot of integrity and passion at the club. I am in the right place and well surrounded to take up the challenge. It is up to us to bring our high-level demand to achieve great things!”
