Before every home game, Aiglons, former Aiglons or witnesses reveal all to OGC Nice Mag, allowing supporters to dive into their universe. Before turning our thoughts to the 2018/2019 season, we have chosen a couple of punchlines from the last 10 months to give them a second and final life. A subjective choice to bring a moment of pleasure. 

“Mentally, you can be weak and say to yourself that you’re never going to come back, not to look after yourself and not to think about football anymore. I said to myself I was going to come back, even a second time and then again a third time if needed. It was only an injury, there are worse things in life: we are the lucky ones, it was just temporary.”

Alassane Plea, aka “tough mental attitude”, before Nice – Monaco. OGC Nice Mag 289 (published on 09/09/2017)

“Before going to Monaco, Markovic, our coach had cast doubts over the qualities of the striker, Onnis. At that time, we spoke about him as a potential recruit. He made fun of it. He scored four against us. That’s what you call an unfortunate statement.”

Derby memories for the great Roger Jouve, before Nice – Monaco. OGC Nice Mag 289 (published on 09/09/2017).

“When you play against Bergkamp, even when he is 10 kilos too heavy, you really see what the top level is.”

Thierry Crétier, about the match between the former Aiglons and a team of ex-Ajax players before Nice – Angers. OGC Nice Mag 284 (published on 22/09/2017).

“I would look to limit the compliments I would pay him. And, quite the opposite, I would try to annoy the hell out of him, because I know myself: when everything is going well, it’s a problem. When someone winds me up, and then I get angry, I do more. I am more in need of being told about my errors than about the things I do well. Because you learn from your mistakes.”

The advice that Coach Balotelli would give to Super Mario, before Nice – Marseille. OGC Nice Mag 292 (published on 01/10/2017)

“When you score at the Vélodrome and you shut their fans up, it gives you even more satisfaction.”

The legend that is Nenad Bjekovic, before Nice - Marseille. OGC Nice Mag 292 (published on 01/10/2017).

“It’s strange because as soon as we speak about Mario, the debate around his return to the national side comes back up. Everyone asks themselves if it is the time to call him back up. Given that he continues to score, the debate is becoming bigger and bigger. At this time, before the play-offs and with 7 months to go until the World Cup, we are closely following his performances.”

Alessandro Grandesso, journalist for La Gazzetta dello Sport, before Nice – Lazio, OGC Nice Mag 293 (published on 19/10/2017). Balotelli made his return for the national side in May 2018...

“There is a ball played in deep, it’s between me and the goalkeeper. I strike it, it goes towards the goal… and unfortunately, I lack lucidness. I should be scoring it with the right. Being left footed and with this lack of lucidness, I chose my left, I struck it with my heel, the only part of the foot I didn’t want to hit it with. But hey, it’s part of me. On the pitch, I was capable of huge things and then, at times, I was unable to do the most simple things. That sums up, more or less, my career.”

Eric Mouloungui, talking about his miss against Bordeaux (3 October 2011), before Nice – Strasbourg. OGC Nice Mag 294 (22/10/2017)

“I don’t know. Even as a youngster, I picked up yellow cards, because in the region around Marseille, like everywhere in amateur football, you go in hard. However, if you had asked me the question about the matches where I didn’t pick up a yellow, maybe I would have remembered.”

Cyril Rool before Nice – Lyon, OGC Nice Mag 297 (published on 26/11/2017).

“I don’t want the public to be bored. The dribbles, the goals, the celebrations: that’s the football that we all love.”

Allan Saint-Maximin before Nice – Bordeaux. OGC Nice Mag 299 (published on 17/12/2017)

“Even my dad’s friends talk to me about Nice, even though in the Martinique, normally people only support Paris, Marseille or Lyon.”

Patrick Burner, "VRP", before Nice – Amiens. OGC Nice Mag 300 (published on 13/01/2018).

​“Some think that it’s since my tackle on Roger Milla at Saint-Étienne, but it’s a legend! It’s true that it was two footed, but it was more spectacular than nasty. I wanted to show that I was supple.”

Patrick Bruzzichessi, honestly speaking about his nickname, “the lumberjack of Gonfaron”, before Nice – Toulouse. OGC Nice mag 302 (published on 03/02/2018)
 

“Sh**! It will be either me or the Gym!” Exactly what I didn’t want. It affects me. I spent four years in Nice. It’s a strange feeling.”

Nemanja Pejcinovic, before the double header between the Gym, the club in his heart, and Lokomotiv Moscow, his current club. OGC Nice Mag 303 (published on 15/02/2018).

“I don’t know! I think someone came out with that when I was young, as a joke, and it stuck. It’s crazy though…  I am asked the question so often that it almost makes me doubt at times.”

Janick Tamazout comments on the name “Jean-Luc” often associated with him, before Nice – Nantes. OGC Nice Mag 304 (published on 18/02/2018).

“Recognition comes after death, except at OGC Nice.”

Pablito, before Nice – Lille. OGC Nice Mag 305 (published on 02/03/2018)

“You have to put things into perspective, football is always a source of happiness. I am here to enjoy myself and to try to please the fans, even if sometimes I say 80 things and I am worried I will annoy them (laughs). I like making little jokes, it’s part of my character. I enjoy myself even when I am commentating on the Challenge Orange or when I find out live that OM have just lost their match.”

Fabrice Mauro, the Gym’s announcer, before Nice – Naples. OGC Nice Mag 288 (published on 22/08/2017)

“Napoli is magic, unique, magnificent, astounding… We, the Neapolitans, we often say that to be born here is a real chance. If I could be born again, I would be born again here.”

Decibel Bellini, “World Champion Stadium Announcer”, before Nice – Napoli. OGC Nice Mag 288 (published on  22/08/2017)

“Unaï Emery, I played with him before coming to Nice, in Ferrol (D2). He wasn’t exactly serious, he laughed in training but he still had some excellent qualities. Given that the coach preferred Ludo Delporte, Unai stayed on the “banquillo” (the bench, Editor’s note).” 

Kaba Diawara, before Nice – Paris, OGC Nice Mag 306 (published on 18/03/2018)

“I was never really a fan of the south. that’s because I had never lived there…”

Christophe Jallet, convinced, before Nice – Dijon. OGC Nice Mag 295 (published on 05/11/2017).

---