An exciting end of season is shaping up at OGC Nice. Between the Coupe de France and the championship play-offs, the Nice players are gearing up for some great matches. It’s an opportunity to catch up with Martina Školková, the most experienced player in the Côte d’Azur team.
The quiet strength. Though quite discreet and reserved, Martina Školková is nonetheless a leader in the OGCN locker room. At 36, the Slovakian is the most experienced player in a fairly young group. Naturally, this gives legitimacy to the Nice left-back when discussing the upcoming challenges. With a smile, she doesn’t shy away from any topic, just days before crucial matches for the protégées of Marjan Kolev.
“It’s not over, we still have to keep going”
What do you think of your start to the season?
At present, the record is quite satisfactory. The start of the season was tough. It was unusual with COVID-19 and the postponement of many matches. It took us a while to adapt. The start of the championship was also complicated because we faced some very big teams, but the group has bounced back well. The team is quite satisfied with this first part of the season.
You are currently on a very strong run…
We knew we had to win certain matches to qualify for the play-offs, and we managed to do that. We are on a seven-match winning streak in the championship, which is great. There’s also the qualification for the Coupe de France semi-final, which is kind of the icing on the cake. But it’s not over, and we need to keep building on this momentum.
“Why not achieve a feat right from the start?”
OGCN qualified this Wednesday for the Coupe de France semi-finals. You’re only one match away from a final at Bercy…
The Coupe de France is an opportunity for all teams, including the weaker ones. We know it’s a different competition from the championship. Anything is possible. It’s all decided in one match, so we need to be present and focused. We’ve been working hard in recent weeks to get results, but we must continue and avoid becoming complacent. We mustn’t relax, and we need to keep working to reach new goals.
The play-offs start next week with a very challenging schedule…
The sequence will be tough with two trips, to Brest and Chambray. But we’re in the play-offs. We know very well that we will be facing very strong teams. The group is happy to be here, and we need to make the most of it. It will be up to us to raise our game level. We have no choice. It will do us good to raise our level of play and our concentration. We’re kind of the bogey team for Brest. Why not achieve a feat right from the start? We’ll see what happens later, but we must be ready when the time comes.
“We’re here to trouble the favorites”
Do you have any objectives for this end of season?
Yes, of course. The first goal was to qualify for the play-offs. Now that it’s done, we want to finish as high as possible. Playing in the play-offs is something important. We need to make the most of this period because they are high-level matches. We need to implement everything we work on in training and not hesitate. We have nothing to lose. We know the favorites, but we’re here to trouble these teams. We need to enjoy ourselves. It’s a great opportunity to participate in these finals.
What can we wish for you for this end of season?
To maintain the form we have now, always keep smiling, enjoy, and cherish every moment together. The group is doing well. We get along well. There’s good harmony and a good atmosphere among us. But this period is complicated. We don’t know for how long COVID-19 will prevent us from living normally. That’s why I wish us to continue on this path with a smile while winning many more victories.
“I’m doing everything I can to be useful to the team”
You will be out of contract in 2022. Have you thought about your future?
I get asked this question a lot, but for now, I’m focusing on the present. However, it is true that I’m starting to think about what will happen in the future. In a year, I tell myself that ‘real life’, so to speak, could begin. I’m not cut out to be a coach. I’m not the person who’s confident enough to give orders. I’d rather work with children, or why not lend a hand to the club! But for now, I’m still focused on the field.
If the club offers you a new player contract, would you be interested?
It would be better (laughs)! But I know each team has its projects, and at my age, it’s difficult. If my body holds up, why not. But you have to know how to manage yourself. I’m older, so it takes me longer to recover from fatigue. With my experience, I pay attention to that. It’s harder to run with girls who are 10 or 15 years younger than me. If I’m still at the level of this team, all the better. If I no longer enjoy it, or if I’m embarrassing on the field, I’ll think about it. But for now, I’m hanging in there. Anyway, I told the young ones, ‘If I’m bad, tell me right away!’ For now, I’m doing everything I can to be useful to the team.
The first match against Metz postponed
The Nice team was supposed to start the play-offs this Sunday, hosting the Metz juggernaut. But the Metz team is affected by COVID-19. As a result, the match is postponed. OGCN will finally begin their play-offs next Saturday, with a perilous trip to Brest, before going to Chambray.
The state of the OGC Nice squad in 2021-2022
While Martina Školková will still be on the Côte d’Azur next season, this won’t be the case for Mélissa Agathe. The 26-year-old playmaker has signed with her formative club, Fleury. A return to her roots for the Reunion native, who has been barely used this season due to a knee injury.
OGC Nice Handball transfers for the 2021-2022 season:
Arrivals: Aimée von Pereira (GER, left-back, Copenhagen), Marie-Paule Gnabouyou (right-back, Toulon Saint-Cyr).
Departures: Barbara Moretto (right-back, Nantes), Kimberley Bouchard (right-wing, Chambray), Mélissa Agathe (playmaker, Fleury).
Under contract: Ehsan Abdelmalek (playmaker, 2022), Dienaba Sy (left-wing, 2022), Marie Fall (pivot, 2022), Martina Školková (left-back, 2022), Marija Colic (goalkeeper, 2024), Djazz Chambertin (playmaker, 2023), Marie Prouvensier (right-wing, 2022), Noémie Lachaud (pivot, 2022).
