OGC Nice has officially announced the appointment of Roger Ricort as sporting director. At 67 years old, the former Gym leader is returning to a position he previously held between 2005 and 2009. This decision comes following the departure of Florian Maurice and the end of discussions with Geoffrey Moncada, as part of the restructuring undertaken by the Côte d’Azur club.
OGC Nice has entrusted the sporting direction to Roger Ricort. At 67 years old, the former Gym midfielder had already held this position between 2005 and 2009, under the presidency of Maurice Cohen.
The position had been vacant since Florian Maurice’s departure. Arriving in the summer of 2024 from Stade Rennais, the former sporting director left the club after two seasons. OGC Nice and Florian Maurice mutually agreed to end their collaboration, just days after securing Ligue 1 survival in the playoff against Saint-Étienne.
Florian Maurice’s time on the Côte d’Azur was notably marked by an altercation with supporters, on November 30th, following a defeat at Lorient. Despite this incident, the manager continued his mission until the end of the season.
Roger Ricort was initially supposed to join the club as an advisor to the president. Geoffrey Moncada’s withdrawal ultimately led Maurice Cohen and INEOS representatives to settle on this solution.
According to several sources close to the club, discussions with Geoffrey Moncada ended due to personal issues mentioned by the former AC Milan executive. The Nice management felt that this situation was incompatible with the responsibilities of the position.
Roger Ricort and Maurice Cohen will notably be tasked with reducing the wage bill, decreasing squad size and generating a financial surplus during the summer transfer window, while maintaining a squad capable of ensuring Ligue 1 survival.
Maurice Cohen banks on continuity
In a statement, OGC Nice presents this appointment as a return to a sporting policy already implemented by Roger Ricort within the club. “Beyond his recognized expertise, we share with Roger a common history and a relationship of trust that has been built over the years,” declares president Maurice Cohen. “We know each other perfectly, we have the same demands and the same vision of what OGC Nice should be. His return is excellent news for the club. Roger knows the Gym’s DNA perfectly, he knows what this shirt represents and the expectations that come with it. His experience, his knowledge of the market and his ability to build a cohesive squad will be invaluable assets to continue OGC Nice’s sporting development. I’m delighted to work alongside him again. With Olivier Pantaloni, we will form a united team, guided by the same desire to advance the club, build for the long term and give supporters a team they can fully identify with.”
Roger Ricort also reacted to this appointment: “Returning to OGC Nice means a great deal to me. It’s a club that holds a special place in my career and in my heart. I’m very happy and very proud to return to this home with the ambition to build, alongside all the club’s stakeholders, a squad that fully reflects the Gym’s identity: an ambitious team, generous in effort, demanding on a daily basis and deeply attached to the shirt it wears. I’m also very happy to be reunited with Maurice. We share genuine professional rapport, based on trust, dialogue and a shared vision. I know we’re going to enjoy working together in the service of OGC Nice. I’m now looking forward to getting to work with the players and the entire staff, and to collaborating with Olivier Pantaloni to build a solid and coherent project. There is a lot of work ahead of us, but also tremendous energy and a real desire to write a new chapter at the Club.”
NicePremium is a free, independent local news outlet.
Help us keep going by supporting our work from €5 per month.
