Official presentation

The three recruits at the podium

On Thursday, Adrien Tameze, Jean-Victor Makengo and Pierre Lees-Melou were officially presented at the Allianz Riviera. A recap of the morning experienced by the 3 new signings.

"First of all, I would like to say that it is a huge pleasure to be sat here alongside our coach. This pleasure is shared by all at the club." The preamble of a morning dedicated to the presentation of the new signings, with the first words focussing on their coach, Lucien Favre.

This was before Adrien Tameze could follow in his footsteps. "It's pronounced Tamézé" explains the former Valenciennes midfielder. "Ah, you see!"  Lucien Favre, who, as it happens, had got it right during his first press conference of the season.

Nice's new number 5  hasn't arrived at an unknown land on the Côte d'Azur however: "I already have some friends here: Alassane (Plea), Arnaud (Lusamba) and Rémi (Walter)", explained the player who was trained at Nancy before rising to fame in the North. 

"We don't know yet how high 'JV' can get to"

The second player to make his appearance was Jean-Victor Makengo. The youngster who has just celebrated his 19th birthday (12 June) has apparently benefitted from advice from former Aiglons with whom he played at the Stade Malherbe in Caen: “Romain (Genevois) and Alaeddine (Yahia) often spoke about OGC Nice. I know that they had some really good times here.”

“And what should we call you? - You can call me “JV”!”  We don’t know yet how high “JV” can get to, interrupted Jean-Pierre Rivère. But he is lucky to be at a club that will let him grow, with a very good coach. He has all the tools to succeed. It’s down to him to work hard.”

Finally, it was the new Nice number 7, Pierre Lees-Melou who closed the press conference. The midfielder who was still in the lower leagues in 2015, playing at Lège-Cap-Ferret, whilst at the same time working in a school. “I liked my old job. But I realise the luck that I have today to be able to get up and play football. That’s why I am always smiling. It drives me on to continue working hard” explained “PLM”, who has already received some tip-offs about the club, thanks to Arnaud Souquet, his former Dijon teammate.

“The initiations? I was hoping that they had forgotten…”

Officially presented to the journalists on Thursday, the 3 players have been rubbing shoulders with their new teammates since training restarted on Monday. “We have been really nicely welcomed, said Makengo. They put us at ease from the get go.” Integrated very quickly, the “young” new guys have been warned: they have one last challenge to cross, with the initiations, planned for the tour in Divonne-les-Bains (from 1-8 July)“Ah! I was hoping that my new teammates would forget, joked JV. I am going to need to think because I still haven’t prepared a song.” Lees-Melou chirped up: “I have had one ready since I was 15” refusing to reveal the song. The only thing I can say, is that I will be singing in English.”

“We know that the fans are great here”

After the traditional photo shoot at the side of the pitch at the Allianz Riviera, the 3 midfielders met up in their new dressing room. “It’s calm here. But we know that when we come back to play, it will be noisy” (Adrien Tameze). “I came to play with Dijon last year. The atmosphere was superb” (Pierre Lees-Melou). “I didn’t have that opportunity, concluded JV Makengo. I only played against Nice in the first game(1-0). I can’t wait to meet my new supporters. All that I know, is that they are great here!”

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