After a year as a novice, OGCN president Jean-Pierre Rivère wanted to leave his personal mark on his sporting adventure. While last season was rather about continuity, with Rivère taking over the club in mid-summer and obviously relying on the technical staff that the Stellardo-Governatori duo left him as a legacy, today the key word is also that of another President: ‘Change is now’.
Therefore, out goes the Roy-Marsiglia duo, which did not (or no longer) fit the framework, and in comes the new sporting manager (in the English style), Claude Puel.
A choice that Jean-Pierre Rivère willingly embraces as part of a medium-term approach with three development axes: the improvement of the financial scope (new stadium), a wise and quality sporting direction (Claude Puel), and finally, quality training that allows the Gym, whose budget remains medium-sized, to recruit internally (with reference to the team that won the Gambardella Cup)!
This is the touch of the businessman trying to establish the best conditions for success.
However, the first question that arises is: given his past (Monaco, Lille, and Lyon), why is Claude Puel coming to OGC Nice, a team more accustomed to the descent than to competing for titles or European spots?
The answer comes from Puel himself during his official presentation: The ambition is still there and the desire to replicate what he achieved with Lille, which he helped progress year after year. With the Lyon experience set aside, batteries recharged after a sabbatical year, Claude Puel settled not far from home and is eager for this challenge: the Europa League in three years, the Champions League in four years, these are the stated objectives.
Who could aim higher for a club that has been somewhat “lagging behind” in sports, narrowly escaping relegation in a last-day save in the past two seasons?
Certainly not Claude Puel (who signed a three-year contract) who wants to achieve this small miracle.
“Nice has the potential to play in the Champions League in the coming years. Coming to Nice is not a step backward. I had the opportunity to sign with a foreign club, but the project presented by President Rivère convinced me. The connection went well between us. Yes, the Nice challenge is appealing.” – he concludes.
As always in sports, the word is now with the playing field and the (good) results.
