After joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain last season, Marcin Bulka (22) convinced OGC Nice to take up their purchase option on him thanks to his impressive performances in the Coupe de France. It's been quite a journey from the village of Stegny Wyszogród where he grew up to Nice, via Warsaw, London and Paris. He tells us about the people who helped him along the way.

WIESLAW, THE ROLE MODEL UNCLE

"It's undoubtedly from him that I get my love of football, and more precisely that of goalkeeping. Like his dad — my grandfather — my uncle played in goal. I don't know if it's genetic [laughs]. They never played professionally, but to a good amateur level. I was fortunate enough to see my uncle play. He took me everywhere for games and tournaments. I watched what he did a lot. At half-time, I'd play on the pitch. It's thanks to him that this all started! And guess when he came to see me play with the pros for the first time? At the Parc des Princes for the Coupe de France Last 16 against PSG (0-0, 5-6 on pens.). It's symbolic."

MAREK CHANSKI, COACH TURNED FRIEND

"Marek Chanski was also in the stadium that night. If someone had told us that when we first met…It was during a trial to get on a sports studies course. There were 10 candidates, and he is the one who decided not to take me. At the time, I'd not been able to have specific goalkeeper training, I trained like the outfield players. My first specialised session was when I was 14, which isn't the norm now when children start very early. Marek and I met again at Escola Varsovia, which is a satellite academy of FC Barcelona.

"When I saw him, I must admit that I wasn't filled with confidence, because he's got a lot of charisma, and I didn't have a good memory of him. But we talked, he explained we would work together and that over time I would improve. We worked well for three years and I caught the eye of Chelsea. We've been good friends since, and we now have a laugh about our very first meeting."

MAREK BRZOZOWSKI, FROM THE VILLAGE TO THE CAPITAL

"I was born in Plock where there is a very good handball team, but I grew up in Stegny Wyszogród, a village of 3000 people one hour's drive from Warsaw. We had a small football team, but good coaches and players. When I played with the kids my age, I was a central defender. But then, because I was tall, I started playing with kids three years older. One day, the goalkeeper got injured, and they suggested I go in goal. I wasn't convinced. I looked at the goal and said to myself, 'Wow, it's big'. Now, it's the goal that looks at me and thinks that [laughs]. In spite of my initial reticence, I enjoyed it and stopped some shots. I said to myself, 'Perhaps this is my thing.'

"I continued to alternate: outfield player with the kids of my generation on Friday, goalkeeper with the bigger ones on Saturday. It meant the weekends were busy! My coach there was Marek Brzozowski. He's the one that sent me for the sports studies trial and to Escola Varsovia. I was lucky to have Marek in my life."

GIANLUCA SPINELLI, FROM LONDON TO PARIS

He's the one that took me for first-team training at Chelsea when I was 18. The pro goalkeepers at the time were Thibaut Courtois, Willy Caballero and Eduardo. Gianluca helped me a lot, we were often together. He went to PSG the next season and we were reunited there two years later.

In Paris, we got to know each other better. We were there a long time and were together often, that's how it is for goalkeepers. We analysed games, and he showed me lots of examples of what I should improve. He's a coach who loves to listen and give information, and what is good is that he wants to help you and always gives you precise answers. He never hesitates. I was with him for three years, and I improved a lot. I'm proud to have trained with him. We're still in contact. I didn't know, but he was at the Coupe de France final, he sent me some photos afterwards."

NICOLAS DEHON, THE OGC NICE GOALKEEPING COACH

"I already knew of him before coming here, but didn't know him personally. As a coach and as a person, he's great. His methodology is different to the coaches I have had before. Each club, each coach has their specificities. Like Gianluca, Nico has worked with some excellent goalkeepers and at some big clubs. When you arrive, he knows you, sometimes he tests you.

On the pitch, he sees immediately what you can improve and he adapts to your needs. The means he focuses on what you can do better throughout the week. He's a super coach, a super person, we get on very well and speak every day and analyse a lot of things.

"His other great strength is his personality. We work a lot together, and he manages to create a good atmosphere between the goalkeepers. When you are happy to come to training it's not the same as when you don't want to smile. Everything is easier when you're happy, and Nico knows that. It was very easy for me to settle into the squad thanks to him. He's very open, I can talk to him about everything, even personal things. We don't just have a 'coach-player' relationship, it's more than that and that's important for me. He gives me a lot of confidence, because I know he has confidence in me. When it's like that, you don't think twice. Even before a game, we warm up together, he talks a lot, motivates me. I am fortunate to work with him, I'm going to take advantage of it and give everything to improve still further. I know where he wants to get me to, and I know how he wants to do it. It's great for your confidence, he makes sure I feel good. He's a good person. I like him a lot."

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F.Hill