This Wednesday, Olivier Pantaloni and the seven new recruits of OGC Nice were presented at Place Arson, in direct contact with supporters. An opportunity to gather the feelings of the Gym’s loyal fans on a particularly eventful summer transfer window.
According to Thomas, dressed for the occasion in the red and black jersey of OGC Nice, the assessment is positive: “With the means we have, we did what we could and I’m satisfied with it.” He points to only one sector still fragile according to him: “All positions have been strengthened, except defence with the injury to Antoine Mendy, which could not have been anticipated.”
Similar satisfaction from Romain, a happy supporter after his selfie with Axel Witsel: “I find it a fairly coherent transfer window, quite intelligent too. We didn’t have many means at the start of the summer, and the players we recruited fit well with what we were missing.” If he has high hopes for Axel Witsel, Elye Wahi or Mohammed Amoura, it is the arrival of the latter that surprised him most: “I absolutely wasn’t expecting him to come here, he’s an Algerian international after all, there were many clubs after him. The fact that we managed to convince him, I think that’s very strong.“
Lingering doubts
Damien, faithful to the Eagles for over 40 years, has reservations: “I remain somewhat mixed. The best recruit in my opinion is Laurent Abergel, but he suffered a serious injury…” While he also praises the arrival of Elye Wahi, which he judges decisive from the first matches, this supporter remains concerned about midfield. The forty-something finds in particular that the creative aspect is “a bit limited.“ On the season’s ambitions, he remains cautious: “We need to stay up, that’s all. As high as possible, but staying up without suffering. We must not relive another season of struggle.“
This summer, the Gym was forced to find liquidity, which forced it to part with quality players. Romain regrets in particular the departure of one player: “I would say Kojo Oppong. When we see today the defensive problems, with the injuries, we realize that his departure really hurts.” Further along, Patrice is particularly frustrated with the late sale of Melvin Bard. “He remained a mainstay of the team and an important player in the dressing room, despite his offensive shortcomings. I would have liked to keep him, at least in rotation“, he judges.
Olivier Pantaloni: “Being in contact with these people is important“
For the new Nice coach Olivier Pantaloni, this type of meeting organized in the heart of Nice has special significance: “It truly reveals what Nice is. Being in contact with these people and discussing with them to see their expectations is important.” The coach also sees a direct benefit for his squad: “I think it’s important for the players, because they feel that behind them there’s a people who support them. We will make sure to push them to the maximum to meet these expectations.“
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