Following the presentation of Laurent Abergel to the local and national press for a round of questions that would later take the form of several interviews and articles on the day after OGC Nice’s men’s team returned for pre-season training, here are some selected quotes from Le Gym’s first signing of the summer.

On Olivier Pantaloni

“He’s the one who turned me from a right-back into a midfielder and who gave me the chance to establish myself as a professional. […] He’s fair in everything that he does, and he’s very strong as a human being. […] The coach’s words were important in convincing me to come here, which I’m very happy about. […] He’s got great people skills and is a natural leader. He’s fair in his choices and doesn’t leave anyone out, and he proved that in his management style at Lorient. Certain players were at rock bottom, but he picked them up again for the sake of the squad and for the sake of the club, and everyone got their reward for that in the end. He’s been labelled as very defensive, but he’s shown that that’s wrong. […] He enjoys playing the ball out tidily from the back to the front, as we did last year, and trying to hurt other teams as much as possible with a real fighting spirit and with shared values as a squad.”

On returning to the south of France

“I’m happy to be back at a club in the south. We know how things are here. You need to bring a lot of grit to everything that you do, to have a strong mindset, to never let up and to give your all. I’ve had those values in me since day one. Representing OGC Nice at this point in my career is important. I’m coming here with a lot of positive energy and humility; I’m not here to revolutionise the club. It already has a history, and that’s important.”

On his leadership

“You don’t need to wear an armband to be a leader. There are technical leaders, dressing-room leaders, on-pitch leaders… I’m going to try to lead in my own way. The coach needs me in that regard, as do the club and the team. […] I’m not scared of responsibility.

 

On the upcoming season

“We really need to make the fans want to come back to the stadium. When you see a team fighting on the pitch, you want to go and watch it, to support it, to see it respect the shirt and play attacking football. […] We need to create something in pre-season that helps us to regain an identity as a club from Nice, a club from the south, and to have a great mindset while doing things as a team. […] Nice deserves to be at the top.”

On the Allianz Riviera

“I experienced the Stade du Ray, and it was fiery. I go past the Allianz Riviera every day at the moment, which makes my kids go all wide-eyed, and they’re right to because it’s an amazing stadium. […] Teams that perform well are very strong at home, so we need to command respect at our place.

 

On people’s perceptions of OGC Nice

“Last year was tough, but OGC Nice is still a big draw! I know what this club is all about, and I want to play for it. […] I’m also gradually learning that not everyone likes this club, but I’m happy to fight to show that Nice can do great things. Nice is a big team in Ligue 1, and it deserves to be there. […] People have often said to me, “Oh, you’re going to Nice?”. Yes, and I’m very proud to be here. I’m happy that people feel that way because it makes me want to achieve great things here even more. […] If Nice had gone down to Ligue 2, I still would’ve been ready to come here.”

On the tensions between Lorient and Nice last season

“There were certain things, but there were also certain contexts. I’m thinking of the Coupe de France game where we picked up a red card quite early on and felt as though the win was getting away from us. There was a sore-loser mindset rearing its head. […] After his comments in the league, Sofiane Diop had the good sense to send us a message, which I passed onto the Lorient squad. After that episode, everyone showed maturity and things calmed down. […] I was a bit apprehensive of my reception here, but it’s been great.”

On the end of his time with Lorient

“I felt as though things were changing at the club last season. […] I think that if I hadn’t left this summer, it would’ve been difficult to do so later on, and I didn’t want to be a problem. I’m competitive, too, so I definitely needed something different in order to perform well. I need to get a buzz from this new challenge. […] I’m not comparing the two clubs, but I feel as though I’m stepping up by moving to Nice. […] I’d like to thank the president, the board, the players and the manager, who was very understanding of my situation. It was important for me to respect my time with Lorient.”

On this challenge potentially being his last

“I’m going to push myself to the limit. I feel as though I’ve gained 10 years in terms of mentality and motivation due to having to win over a new fanbase and a new environment. I want to go as far as possible; I’m too passionate to retire.”

On his Marseille origins

“I’ve already talked to [Elite squad assistant manager] Alexy Bosetti about it. I’m aware of the rivalry. […] I was born in Marseille, and I can’t take that away. I spent my entire youth career there, and I respect everyone. I’m going to do my best to erase that image and to prove that I’m fully committed to Nice. […] I’m very close to the fans. That involves performing well, but it also involves talking to them and really getting to know them so that you know who you’re dealing with. […] There are some great stories, and I respect everyone’s past. I got to know “Pancho” Abardonado very well; he’s well-liked here and gave everything for both clubs. As a player, I want to take inspiration from people like him.”

 

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