Nice Premium: New Niçoise Salad at OGC Nice. What do you think about the current situation of the club?
Fabrice Mauro: It saddens me as a local from Nice and a supporter of the Gym. It feels like déjà vu, old demons awakening, and now, sadly, sadness turns into worry. We had peace for 5 years in Nice, maybe it was unexpected but so appreciated not to have to endure the sarcasms about our troubles as soon as we cross the Var. So, to return to the current situation of the club, it is worrying. I end up thinking that nothing can ever go smoothly in Nice.
Of course, we don’t know much about the maneuvers, the backstage, the conflicts, and the internal or external struggles, but I honestly felt that the club was building, structuring itself orderly. I’m afraid all of this will result in a huge waste. As it turns out, a football club is fortunately not and definitely not like any ordinary company; many factors depend solely on sporting success.
Jean-François Knecht: It appears disastrous in many ways. The urgency is primarily on the field in terms of results and efficiency.
At all costs, we must push hard to avoid relegation to Ligue 2.
NP: Maurice Cohen is no longer President of the club. In your opinion, could this be the solution to avert a crisis and relegation to Ligue 2?
FM: Only the future will tell. I want to pay tribute to Maurice Cohen who was the President of renewal, stability, wisdom, and long-term construction (a change from the past). Was it the right solution to enter into a crisis when our club is undergoing difficult times? Personally, I don’t think so. That being said, I didn’t invest in OGC Nice; those who did are in a position to make decisions and take responsibility. I want to believe it will always be in the supreme interest of our club.
JFK: It was probably necessary but still not sufficient. There are certainly other deficiencies in the sports and management areas.
It is up to the new team to analyze the situation seriously and thoroughly to take vigorous and effective measures.
NP: How do you envision the future of the red and black house?
FM: I sincerely hope that we will not question everything that has been planned, organized, and implemented—both projects and people. Today we’re heavily criticizing our coach even though some, just a few months ago, praised his skills, choices, gameplay, and ambitions for the club. Has Frédéric Antonetti, who brought us to 8th place last May and to the final of the League Cup, become incompetent? To believe that would be foolish.
Similarly, questioning the competence of Roger Ricort is a total aberration. Are they blaming him for Moussilou? Those who know football surely recognize that the guy is full of talent but lacked success and confidence. And even if he was wrong about Moussilou? Who doesn’t have the right to make mistakes, to ever be wrong in their work? How to question the recognized skills of Roger Ricort across France? Here is a man from Nice, attached to his city, madly in love with his club and his profession, of absolute integrity, who has achieved feats on a limited budget (Koné, who the biggest French clubs wanted, even if he is not successful today, but also Fanni, Apam, Ederson, Diakité, Rool, Bellion, or Mahamane Traoré). I see that people have a short and selective memory.
Let’s pray we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater; it would be a huge mistake and a real step back. I hope that we will get one or two reinforcements and that luck will finally turn. In any company, if you have a tenth of the bad luck that the Gym has had since the start of the season, you’d be bankrupt before Christmas!
JFK: In red and black, of course. I earnestly hope that the players, the managers, the loyal fans, and more generally the people of Nice and friends of the club will rally behind a new team proposing and implementing a plan as wise as it is ambitious.
NP: Finally, do you have any idea of the problems affecting the club this year, as last year the future seemed serene, and especially do you have any remedies to offer?
FM: I think everyone feels authorized to intervene and give their opinion in sports, a true interference coupled with incompetence. I also believe that there are struggles totally unrelated to the performance of the Gym (ego, politics, power grabs etc.) and that these people are settling their scores at the expense of OCG Nice. Do all the stakeholders really wish Nice to be saved? I’m afraid not and that scares me.
Regarding remedies? I play the lottery hoping to hit the jackpot to buy and preside over the club that I’ve loved since I was born. With Fred Antonetti and Roger Ricort, we would make a super trio, you’ll see! To be much more serious, the remedy would be to become wise again, to remain stable in the club’s organigram and to capitalize on half of our opportunities (we would be nipping at Lyon’s heels). Finally, good luck to all those who are fighting in these difficult moments to save our season and spare us the agonies of relegation.
JFK: I do not wish to stand as a censor and even less as a sermonizer.
Many very relevant and sensible things have been expressed both in the press and on specialized blogs in recent months.
We will talk for a long time about the recruitment of Matt Moussilou, the biggest transfer in the history of OGCN (€4.5 million) who leaves after having his score at zero goals!
From all this, I draw a major lesson, especially in the light of the big stadium episodes. We must know how to listen, think, and be positive rather than being deaf, thoughtless, and negative…
