In a long interview given to the newspaper Nice-Matin and published on Tuesday, Julien Fournier, director of football INEOS, clarified several subjects concerning Le Gym’s project and latest news. 

"We're on schedule," said Julien Fournier as he discussed the progress of the OGC Nice project, one year after the arrival of INEOS. The football director listed the projects implemented since his joint return with Jean-Pierre Rivère (in August 2019): "[renewing a relationship of trust with Patrick Vieira], it took time. The youth academy was the other big issue. As early as last September, we started working on the summer mercato. We also had to put the recruiting team back at the heart of the club's development. Serge (Recordier) has returned. There are also a lot of details that the wider public doesn't see, such as the recruitment of a second full-time doctor as well as a dietician, the total renovation of the pitches, the role of Talent Manager for Fred Gioria, who is still 100% a part of Patrick's staff, the return of Adrian (Ursea) and the creation of a real video centre (...) The objective is to prepare the club to perform and everything is being done to ensure that the player is in the best possible shape on Saturday. There are no excuses any more. The players have no right to complain because they are doing the best job in the world. But we're still behind the big guns in the championship. People don't realise it. They think that with our eight recruits, we're going to play for the top places automatically. What we want to acquire is the mental capacity to do that."

Another priority is "to make the club credible in the eyes of the big players. We don't yet exist at national and international level for the very top level."
Fournier highlights the need to fight the "INEOS fantasy". While praising the spirit in which the club moves forward on a daily basis: "The Ratcliffe family loves sport, the bond is permanent. Jean-Pierre Rivère could not have found a better match for the OGC Nice".

BRANDED ‘NICE’

Concerning the youth academy, Julien Fournier takes the example of OL to outline the club's objectives: "When I see Lyon with Caqueret and Aouar midfielder, both from the club's academy, it makes me dream. The real regret of my last ten years at Nice is that I haven't been able to produce players of a very high level. My dream is to have four local youngsters in our team in the European Cup and on the doorstep of the French national team. We need to have a recognisable style, branded 'Nice', defenders who know how to play the ball out, but who are also aggressive and forwards who are hungry for goals."

As Le Gym prepares to begin its season this Sunday with the home game against Lens (KO 17:00 CEST), the football director said that "for the first time, Patrick Vieira is entering a normal season. It is in a context that will allow him to work well." The long preparation in Nice "has been very well managed by the club. The work of the medical staff has been great. We haven't had too many new cases of Covid. I never thought the players looked anything but in top shape. There's a real squad dynamic." The perfect setting for the club to aim for its goal of "being in the hunt with the eight teams who are aiming for Europe. Monaco finished 9th, Lyon 7th, they will be there this season. I remind you that ten years ago, we were one of the teams always battling for survival." Qualified in the Europa League, Fournier promises that OGC Nice "will head into this competition putting their best foot forward. We won't be going to the stadiums to take photos and exchange jerseys like we did in 2016," he said.

I BELIEVE IN OUR PLAYERS

Finally, Julien Fournier ended the interview by commenting on the Nice mercato: "This year, we have been focused on [team spirit and mentality]. If we raise the level in terms of our mentality within the squad, it will reflect on everyone." While he assures that the mercato is "most likely" over in terms of new signings, the Director of Football explained that "there's no point in signing a number two if you have Yoan Cardinale who is an important player in the construction of a club", that Youcef Atal's departure is not on the cards ("We're not a supermarket. We don't put products in the window for people to help themselves. We're going to build the season together") and affirmed his full support for the current squad: "I believe very much in our players, including those who have been here for a few years." On the other hand: "With Patrick Vieira, we drew up a list of players with whom we wanted to start the adventure. There are boys who expressed a desire to leave, others who were on loan with an option to buy. That's how we built up the squad. Despite everything, these are players who are respected, paid and under contract. We don't call them up at six in the morning to go running. They're not banned, as I've read, or frozen out, but they're waiting to leave." And Julien Fournier insisted that Wylan Cyprien "may not get the club he wants and we may not get the offer we want. I don't exclude at all the possibility that he might be there at the end of the mercato. He's still a great player."

---