While doctors, players and coaches alike unite in their concern over a hurried return to action, the President of OGC Nice calls for common sense to prevail. “In moments of difficulty, you mustn’t hesitate to take another look at things and to ask yourself the right questions. It is never right to act hastily”, insists Jean-Pierre Rivère.

“The priority must be focused on health.” And because the clarity surrounding the evolution of the pandemic and the conditions around the return to the pitches remain unclear, Le Gym’s President believes that deep changes to the sporting calendar deserved to be considered. “Bit by bit, Covid-19 is pushing us towards this scenario”, repeated Jean-Pierre Rivère on Monday evening, one month after initially suggesting the idea. 

With the Ligue reminding club during the day that one of the plans on the table would see the 2019/2020 season get back underway on 17 June 2020 and the 2020/2021 season then beginning on 23 August, the OGC Nice President “believes that what is currently being suggested to us is not achievable. I am not talking about cancelling the league, there is a lot at stake. But we should look to start the league again calmly.” 

In truth, he hasn’t budged from his first take on the matter. But the weeks that have passed, now give even more weight to his proposal. This would see training starting again at the start of July before the 2019-20 season gets back underway “at the very best, mid-August, or even at the start of September.” The transfer window would take place this winter and the subsequent seasons would then follow the calendar year: “The contracts that finish on 30 June, we need to extend them until the end of the year. Rather than starting the transfer window on 1 July, you end the league at the end of October or start of November and the transfer window could begin then. In 2021, you start the league at the end of January, and in June, you have the Euros with players in top physical form, unlike the usual situation. You then continue with the league after that and it would finish between the end of October and November. In 2022, you start again in February, with the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year.”

In this set-up, it would no longer be necessary to force players to finish the league in a rush this summer, with a match every three days, which the coaches are concerned about given the inherent risk of injuries. “I don’t know any Club President that wants to take even the slightest risk with one of his players” he continued. “What’s more, even if we would still be forced to play behind closed doors in September, we would have the time to prepare this with all of the necessary protections in place.” 

Another “major advantage” of this revised timeline: avoid playing football “in the worst months (December and January, Editor’s note) on poor pitches and in difficult weather conditions for the fans.”

“It could bring us time”

The obstacles are known. The need to fit in with the international stage. The question of club finances, too. Jean-Pierre Rivère is well aware of these, but “today the priority is the health of all. I really believe that this rather hasty return to action that they want us to put in place lacks coherence. We would be taking risks when nobody wants to do so. I would like there to be a European-wide consideration of this scenario. It could bring us time during these events that we can hardly control.”

An isolated position? “I am not alone in taking this position” he answered as other club leaders like Jean-Michel Aulas, have come out to publicly support his position. “We speak on a daily basis among ourselves. Two days ago, Jean-Michel Aulas told me that there was very little chance of this idea getting through, between 0 and 5% according to him. He is right, because it’s not easy to put into place. But in life, when there is at least 1% chance of success, you need to try.”

Jean-Pierre Rivère also explained that he has spoken to Noël Le Graët: “A month ago, I called the President of the FFF to detail my proposal. He told me that he thought it was a good idea but that it came too soon. I couldn’t be heard at that point. We have spoken again recently and he told me: "President, I share this idea and I think that it’s the right solution today.”"

Le Gym’s President concluded: “We share the same desire: that football continues. In the same conditions? Or a little differently? In my proposal, there is an extra cost to clubs, yes, but it’s secondary. If we are wise enough to look at the situation, to all sit around a table, we can first solve the health problem, before the questions of finances. We need to think about those involved in football, our fans, partners, broadcasters… Now is the time to change things slightly in order that together, we find the best solution to save lives, save jobs and improve our football.”

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