OGC Nice registered the arrival of David Bellion on Tuesday. Loaned until the end of the season by the Girondins de Bordeaux, the 28-year-old forward returns to the Nice jersey after leaving it in 2007. An offensive reinforcement at a time when the Eagles are losing momentum in Ligue 1.
OGC Nice wanted a recruit to inject some vigor into its offensive sector. This has been achieved with the signing of David Bellion on Tuesday in the form of a six-month loan.
On one hand, the Niçois are ranked 15th in the Ligue 1 standings, having the second weakest attack (14 goals) in the championship, and more importantly, they have scored only three goals in the last seven matches. On the other hand, the 28-year-old striker does not fit into his coach Jean Tigana’s plans at Bordeaux. He has only taken to the pitch twice since the beginning of the 2010-2011 season. “I had to leave if I wanted to be in the right mindset and finally play again. I am in Nice to find playing time,” explains the player.
Another main reason for his recruitment: he will have no difficulty adapting to his new team since he has already played there from January 2006 to May 2007. “The Gym is a club where I have very fond memories and some not so good. But there is something that ties me to Nice,” he confides. In a year and a half, David Bellion scored 12 goals in 45 matches. But he refutes the idea of being used solely for the final move: “I’ve been taken to score, that’s true, but also to assist and put pressure on the defenses.”
No competition, a complementary reinforcement
But with this arrival, will there not be too much competition at the forefront of the red and black attack? Eric Mouloungui and especially Danijel Ljuboja, who arrived this summer from Grenoble to be the main striker, are candidates for this position. “No, David” (Bellion) “will not be in competition with Danijel” (Ljuboja) “or Eric” (Mouloungui), assures coach Eric Roy. “On the contrary, they will be complementary. David is a player with a different profile, who plays a lot in depth. He can play both as a striker and on the wing. From that perspective, it’s interesting.”
From the perspective of physical form, everything seems to be going well. “I arrive in Nice with humility because my new teammates have played much more than I have in 2010. I will still have to adapt to the game and the team,” the scorer tempers, before adding: “I could have accepted offers from supposedly more prestigious clubs, but Nice has a real project, the team plays well and I noticed a genuine willingness to move forward.”
As for OGC Nice’s chances this season, he remains optimistic as well: “Apart from three or four teams at the top of the table, the others are grouped together. It will be a tight contest. And Nice has the qualities to strive for something interesting.” Let’s hope that his performance and that of the team in the next six months will live up to his ambition.
