Contrast on the field at OGC Nice’s training center on Wednesday morning. Initially, seriousness and discipline during training, followed by relaxation, teasing, and laughter during the photo session. It allowed the players to unwind after an intensive training session completed by a ball call sequence engaged in by the forwards. Frédéric Antonetti shouts, advises, worries, congratulates. Damien Grégorini and Hugo Lloris impress in their face-offs with Vahirua, Bellion, Moussilou, Koné, and Camara. The coach criticizes the midfielders for making poor passes, at too slow a tempo, and especially rarely into the attacker’s run, forcing them to slow down. Frédéric Antonetti whistles the end of training. The players return to the locker rooms to freshen up before the class photo, like schoolchildren taking care of their appearance. Cyril Rool, the bad pupil, forgot to shave. Too bad for him, he will be immortalized with a few days’ stubble. No matter. The only consequence: some teasing. While the footballers prepare, Virginie Rossetti, the communications manager, is reorganizing the family photo at the last moment.
26 players are photographed accompanied by the club staff and shareholders. Reflexive smiles, eyes squinting at the sunlight flashes, and a strip-tease session to ensure no sponsor feels left out. The photographers position themselves, calculate the best angle, the ideal distance, and are wary of the absolute danger: backlighting. One, Two, Three Cheese, lenses are adjusted and the shots are perfect. The photo etches in marble or rather on film the roster for the 2006-2007 season. Players are then photographed individually and Marama Vahirua, Baky Koné, Olivier Echouafni, David Bellion, Souleymane Camara, Cédric Kanté, and Virginie Rossetti pose to present the ready-to-wear collection of OGC Nice.
You can feel the players more than ever focused, conscientious, and motivated during training, relaxed, united during the photo shoot. A mindset they will need to channel on Saturday at Stade de l’Aube where the team from Troyes will host them.
