It's the bark on the tree of Nice's game. It's the external shell that protects from the four winds and allows Le Gym to defend itself against any assailant. Behind the 'your' is an 'our', a notion of collective enjoyment that gives the team wings. Enjoyment had been the catchcry in 2016, be it for the figures who started 2016 or those who ended it. A strong principle encouraged at all levels and shared with the fans in the stands. A key.

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"The reward for a president is to see the fans happy and to give people a good time. It's very satisfying." Jean-Pierre Rivère wasn't wrong as he accepted the award for Club Director of the Year. The president underlined what had been thrilling the fans all year long: the thrilling football their players were producing. In this respect, 2016 will remain a vintage year - a 12-month period in which 46 official matches saw Le Gym win 25 times (ten draws, 11 losses), score 69 goals and entertain the fans no matter the weather.

Freshness

The side's momentum is symbolised by carefree youth. Statistically, Le Gym in 2015-2016 took the youngest side among Europe's top five leagues to a fourth-placed finish in Ligue 1. And while the 2016-2017 version of the team isn't quite so young, the Ligue 1 Autumn Champions (leaders at the winter break) remain the second-youngest squad among the continent's 'Big Five' leagues. Freshness is also evident in the form of several young players who have graduate from the youth academy with the club's principles - which are taught at all levels - firmly etched in their footballing minds (Vincent Koziello, Malang Sarr, Yoan Cardinale...) but also in the form of a number of new signings who have slotted right into a game based on technique, movement and the desire to get forward (Mika Seri, Wylan Cyprien, Ricardo, Dalbert, Rémi Walter...).

Stars

2016 was also in which certain world-renowned football stars hung their hats in Nice. The first six months were marked by Hatem Ben Arfa's sublime return to the limelight. Capable of causing problems for any opponent, the playmaker enchanted the Azurean capital, ending the season with 17 goals and six assists garnered with the help of strike partner Valère Germain (14 goals, six assists). After signing for Paris over the summer, HBA left his number nine jersey for a striker who arrived from Liverpool on the final day of the transfer window: Super Mario.

A centre-forward looking for a new beginning, Balotelli took little time to work his way into the hearts of the Niçois, scoring ten goals in 13 matches in the second half of 2016. At the end of the summer, Le Gym saw two other heavyweight internationals join its ranks: Brazil defender Dante and playmaker Younès Belhanda - crucial figures in the current starting line-up, as is Alassane Plea (the club's current top scorer), who is really hitting his straps in his third season in Rouge et Noir.

C. Puel / L. Favre : attacking football above all

To conclude, it's impossible to discuss 2016 without mentioning the transition that took place on the bench, with Lucien Favre succeeding Claude Puel in May. His mission was to continue the sporting project that combined ambitious play with the blooding of talent from the club's youth academy. In just over seven months, the Swiss coach has managed to put his stamp on the club's philosophy. His playing systems, his methods and his ideas. After four seasons spent at the club (two of which ended with fourth-placed finishes), Claude Puel headed to Southampton and the Premier League - but not without contributing to the club's progress and the Rouge et Noir's current strong results.  

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