On Tuesday, Jordan Lotomba and Dan Ndoye took their first steps as OGC Nice players. The arrival of the two Swiss players is the opportune moment to consider the relations between Les Aiglons and the Confederation. An eclectic range of stories, dating back many years.

Geneva, neutral ground

Since 2013, the first team has travelled to Divonne-les-Bains for its first training camp of pre-season. Divonne, while French and situated in the Ain, sits right on the border between France and Switzerland. Since 2013, therefore, Les Azuréens have regularly come up against Swiss sides during their summer friendlies. Thoune, Le Servette, Nyon, Lausanne have all faced Le Gym in recent years.

To find trace of a competitive match in and around Lake Geneva, you need to dive back 61 years to 23 December 1959. Just two days before Christmas,  Jean Luciano's Rouge et Noir, left the calm of the Comté to brave the harshness of a Genevan winter. Frozen in the bitter cold, Les Aiglons didn't struggle to bring heat to a match against Fenerbahce. At that time, in the Cup Winners Cup, the match was designated to be played on neutral ground. With a first leg in Istanbul and a second at the Stade du Ray, both sides had won their respective home match, 2-1, so the acting French and Turkish Champions battled it out at the Stade de Charmilles.

In dreadful conditions: with rain and wind howling across the pitch and freezing the 9,166 spectators that had come to watch, it was Le Gym that would come out on top. Thanks to 5 goals (a brace for Foix, and goals for Milazzo, Faivre and De Bourgoing), Les Aiglons smashed Fener’ (5-1) and headed back to the Côte d'Azur with the qualification in their pocket.

18 years later, Le Gym, travelled back to Switzerland for the Coupe des Alpes. And came out of the competition having finished in second place in their group with Servette Genève, Neuchâtel Xamax and Strasbourg.

Although the first ever fixture between Le Gym and a Swiss side dates back to 11 June 1939 against Chaux de Fonds (1-1), Les Rouge et Noir also took part in the "Coupe Grasshoppers", which took place between 1952 and 1956. Nice finished this mini 'European Cup' of six sides in second place, just behind Fiorentina and just in front of  Nogometni Klub, and Dinamo Zagreb.

On the attack

And what about before Lotomba and Ndoye, have any Swiss players ever worn the Red and Black shirt? Yes. And only attacking players. From 1933 until 1934, Edmond Kramer (10 caps for his national side,) scored 6 goals in 27 matches for the club. Including as player-coach of the club from 18 … until 27 December 1933, the day when he made way for Charlie Bell.

A little earlier, in 1926, Schaebli played in four matches (2 goals). And a little later, Paul Emonoz, took part in 13 matches for the club (2 goals between 1941 and 1942).

More recently during the 1999-2000 season, another forward, Marco Grassi (photo below), moved from Lyon to Nice. Grassi (31 Swiss caps), ended his career at the club with 3 goals in 24 matches.

Recent years

The relations between Le Comté and the country of  26 cantons, while well-established, has become even more so in recent years. For two key reasons. The “oldest” - in chronological order – is Lucien Favre. The current Borussia Dortmund coach was in the manager's seat at the club from 2016 to 2018. The Swiss coach boasted a strong accent, personality, style of play and most importantly a podium finish.

Arriving and departing with Favre, Adrian Ursea returned to the club in November 2019. The well respected coach and delightful man, 'Adri', who has dual Romanian and Swiss nationality, joined Patrick Vieira's coaching staff as an assistant coach.

Finally and more recently, there was the arrival of INEOS, a year ago, which has helped to build an even stronger tie between Nice and Switzerland.

Not only shareholders of Les Aiglons, the group has also owned Lausanne Sport since 2017. LS who as a reminder, have just been promoted as champions of the Challenge League (D2) and will ply their trade in the Swiss Super League this season.

LS is the club where both Jordan Lotomba and Dan Ndoye came through the ranks.

(Source Michel Oreggia)

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