For several months, the director of football no longer had unanimous support within the club. His departure had already been announced, but it was initially planned for September; things turned out differently in the end.
The future of Julien Fournier was a big question mark at the end of this season at Nice. Recruitment that did not meet Galtier‘s requests had caused tensions between the two to such an extent that their departures became inevitable.
With PSG‘s interest in Christophe Galtier, Nice decided to let their coach go and to keep Julien Fournier until the end of the transfer window. In this area, the director of football was losing power to the president Jean-Pierre Rivère: “For the transfer window, there are Dave, Julien, me, a recruitment cell. Dave will spend less time on the Tour de France, because he’s still involved with the club. Our operation will be expanded.”
Even though the latter had announced the scheduled departure of Fournier during Favre‘s presentation, he recently assured him on the recruitment while clearly showing that he was reclaiming the top position at the club. He explained this change due to strategic differences: “I have been working with Julien for 11 years; it’s a deep friendship that doesn’t preclude strategic differences… Julien will work without reservation, there’s nothing shocking about having a mission until September when he has the skills and a perfect knowledge of the club.”
But since those remarks, the situation seems to have taken another turn, as Julien Fournier is ultimately leaving OGC Nice right away. The club announced in a statement:
“Due to strategic differences, OGC Nice and Julien Fournier have mutually decided to part ways. The Club and its now-former Director of Football nonetheless retain a profound mutual respect. Upon his arrival in 2011, he stated a desire to ‘make OGC Nice a club that matters.’ Eleven years later, Julien Fournier can leave the club with a sense of accomplishment. This will not be forgotten by anyone. For more than a decade, he continuously worked to structure and advance the club, step by step and hand in hand with president Jean-Pierre Rivère. These little stones make up the OGC Nice of today. As we say goodbye, the entire club deeply thanks Julien Fournier for the work accomplished and wishes him much success in his future projects.”
