“Hérelle? Of course I know his dad, he is my mate. We played against him in amateur football. In fact, he still coaches here…” Quartermaster at the club, Nabil Ouled-Gharbia opened a little gap: we made the most of it. A phone call to a father who is anchored in the Comté...

“Well I am a bit older than Nabil, but I still play. Last season, at 52 years old, I played a few games for the second team at AS Moulins...” The link was established from the first words. Ideal to talk in a warm environment. A large smile filled the face of his son on the day of his contract signing. Happiness which equally fills the voice of dad when reacting to the news. “To be honest, I am happy and Christophe is too. I knew that the Gym had been following him for a while, even when he was in L2. Now it has come off, it’s great. I work at the sorting office, my colleagues are also supporters: they came to see me to say that they were happy that a Niçois has arrived at the club. And I am happy because this Niçois is my son…” A son who was born in the capital of the Côte d’Azur on 22 August 1992 and who, nearly 26 years later, prepares to defend the team’s colours at the highest level.

A family affair

Asking a son allows you to establish his career. Interrogating a father helps to understand what has happened behind the scenes. In 1979, one year after his parents, “who had come to work”, the young Julien Hérelle left his native Martinique and set up in the Moulins, “building 39”. A passionate football fan, this central defender - it’s not made up - shone on the pitch. He started at All Stars Club, “a West Indian club that we created with friends”, then played for ASPTT, Carros, Mougins, Puget sur Argens, AS Moulins… The sun “reminds him of Martinique” and the football follows it. His sons share the same passion. Julien speaks to them about “OGC Nice and Manchester United , his “two teams”. He took them to the Ray. “At home, we support the Gym, except my mum who played for Monaco”, slipped in Christophe as he arrived at the club, already projecting himself into the derbies to come…

One city, one island

Between Nice and Martinique, the Hérelle family have never broken the contact. The proof of it: the eldest son, Daniel, a talented defensive midfielder, now plays in Saint-Joseph and for the Martinique national side, whilst the youngest son Mickaël, plays at the tip for the Moulins first team. At 8 years old, Christophe left his city for his island. Separated from Christophe's mother, Julien stayed. The years went by. So did the matches. After starting with Réveil Sportif, the new Aiglon headed back to France during his teenage years. “At the beginning, he played in defensive midfield, explained his dad. Sochaux were looking for a right back, he said OK.” His versatility followed him to Colmar (National), then to Créteil (L2). “That’s where he was pushed back. Troyes put him into the middle for a bit, then pushed him back to central defence.”

The “biggest” member of the family (he is 1.88m tall) quickly made this position his own. He makes an impact wherever he goes whilst demonstrating an impressive level of serenity. Julien remains attentive. The linear progression. On 25 June 2018, at 25 years old, Christophe officially became an Aiglon and returned to where it all began. “I have lived in lots of places in Nice. In the Moulins, in the city centre, in Pasteur. He left very young but he still came to see me on holidays. Now, he will really be able to set himself up”, explains his father. Before finishing with an admission. “I knew the Ray very well, but I haven’t yet been to the Allianz Riviera.”

The presentations should take place in due course…

C.D.

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