Borussia Dortmund confirmed the appointment of Lucien Favre on Tuesday. After taking a final tour of the offices on Friday to thank the club staff one by one, ahead of travelling to take charge of the team for one final outing at the Groupama Stadium. Lucien Favre took the time for the readers of OGCNICE.COM to go over his two years in Nice. Interview.  

Aside from the final league standings, what have you made of this season? 

We came back from a very long way. After 11 games, we had 10 points. We were very, very bad. We sorted things out bit by bit. We needed to hold on tight. It was tough. We found our system, a 4-3-3, a bit unbalanced, but we were able to find a decent level. On the whole, We had a very decent season, given all of that. 

A season during which the side had a very difficult period and was down in 17th at one point…

It was important to have a board that remained calm at a given time. They showed their intelligence.  

Did you feel threatened when questions were asked of your position as coach during press conferences? 

I have been through similar times in every club I have been at and I always came out of it. I am used to it. There were no problems for me. I know that you need to remain calm in these types of situation and to analyse the reality. We always remained together internally. It’s the proof that Nice has acquired a certain maturity and it’s good. It was very important to remain united in those kind of situations, to continue to work, to believe. And we came out of it well. In the 2nd round (the second half of the season, Editor’s note), we came back well. It was then difficult to beat us. We only lost to Paris, Marseille and Lyon by one goal. It’s still positive.  

“I always struggle to leave. Even more so here” 

Which match do you remember most from this season?

Monaco, here, in the Coupe de la Ligue. It’s the best performance we put in. We were very good. The content was good, there were chances... we should never have lost that match, we deserved to go through. It’s a shame. We weren’t able to make our own luck. 

What impact did the Europa League have on the difficult start to the league this season? 

Ajax, that was positive, given that we got through. Napoli were very strong for us when you consider the shape of the team at that time. We weren’t quite there, especially given that we had lost two left-sided players at that time (Eysseric and Dalbert). We needed to find solutions. These were early stages for us. And we couldn’t continue with the different systems from last year. These are things that were missing. 

This side had quality. Only a few things were missing. A season, it can come down to two players more or two players less. At times, maybe even one. The balance of a side is incredibly fragile. 

Do you feel that the club seems to be on the right track?

Yes, I think so. Then, there’s the story of a season... You can miss the start, the end... This season, for example, we had two periods where we had 7-8 players out for a month. In total, it was two months in which we had to make do without lots of players. We played with a very young side for a long time. It’s so important to find the right balance between very experienced and very young players.

What memory will you kep of Nice ?

Only positive things! Between the club and the lifestyle here, it’s magnificent.  

How are you feeling now that you prepare to leave?  

I always struggle to leave. Even more so here. I said it already at the end of last season when people were asking about my future. I repeated that I had never left after one year. I am not very emotive at the time. When I reflect on it, it’s different. It’s tough to leave Nice. I was happy here. My wife was too. It’s an incredible way of life. Nice, the region is magnificent. I am not just saying it, it was a fantastic experience. 

“It’s difficult to say no to Dortmund” 

We get the feeling that you are really attached to this club, to the squad... 

My relationship with the club was very good. The president and I will see each other again, I am sure. Our wives will too because they get on well too.

The relationships with the players, without exception, has been fantastic. I work with lads who you have no choice but to become attached to. 

The understanding amongst the staff was a huge satisfaction too. The same goes for the medical staff, directors... everybody. There were no falling outs, stories, even when things were going less well. 

This is a club that is well managed. A warm place. The people are nice. And from my point of view, I rarely have problems with people. I respect everybody. To be honest, I would have liked to have had a quick drink with people here, to talk with them. Everyone has their job. I have mine, you have yours, etc. It’s normal. But I have met some great people. My wife has too. We have had two great years.

Why did you express your desire to go to Dortmund?

I didn’t express a desire to leave. It is Dortmund who approached the club. Not leaving last year never impacted me. It just so happens that Dortmund were in the market again this year. That’s all. It is one of the best European clubs, with 81,000 fans at all matches. I don’t know the city. I have never been there, apart from when playing with 'Gladbach and Herta Berlin. If I was 35, I may have stayed with Nice for 4-5 years. It’s a choice. It’s difficult to say no to Dortmund.

The fact that you are returning to the Bundesliga, a league which you really like, must have played a part too...  

But I like the French league too. There are differences in terms of the size of the stadia and the attendances, but that doesn’t change the football. The ball, the training, the pitch, it’s the same thing. 

“The training ground? A real coup” 

Do you have any regrets? 

No, you can’t have regrets. There is no point.

How do you see the future of OGC Nice ?

The club needs to establish itself in the top half of the table. My predecessor Claude Puel finished 4th, 17th, 11th and then 4th again. Two good seasons and two other very tough ones, on the verge of relegation. That’s why I said to be careful at the start of this season. Because it’s tough to stabilise the team, especially with significantly less money than the other teams. When you have a budget of less than 50 million and others like St Etienne and Bordeaux have 80, you have to accept the limitations. You can’t claim that you will finish in a certain place, when your competitors have double the budget. It’s normal that some years will be more difficult than others. 

How do you feel about the evolution of the club?  

To be based in a training ground like this, after the club had been in a very difficult situation a couple of years ago, is quite exceptional. It’s a coup. When you look at the fittings, the practical side of things, it’s extraordinary. You come out of the dressing rooms and you are 3 meters from the pitches. It’s an important development.  

Including for the Academy…

In order to regularly play for the top 8 places, you need to have a prolific academy, to produce high level youngsters, who can be at the heart of the side once they have matured. Youngsters who are trained well at 14-15, can still be together at 18-19 and these are often the leaders of the side later on. Because they have been here for 3, 4, 5 years, they feel at home here. It’s very important.  

A word to describe the Nice fans?

They are magnificent. They have always been there. They create an incredible atmosphere. They don’t give up throughout the match, They are never against the team. That means that they think, that they know their football. I realised that during various conversations. That’s what I like. Football doesn’t exist without fans. They are the soul of a club. A team without fans isn’t great. 

Lucien Favre was speaking to Laurent Oreggia

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