An encounter with the new coach of OGC Nice, who talks about his ambitions, plans, football in France, and many other topics.
Nice-premiere: Your position after the first few weeks at the Red and Black house?
Frédéric Antonetti: I was very well received, as I’ve mentioned several times, in a club with a strong identity, and I like that. You notice it just by crossing the street. There’s a very good understanding with Roger Ricort on the sports level. We share the same views. Maurice Cohen and the investors have done everything they said they would. They have invested. We saw it recently with the arrival of a new striker. I am very satisfied with their sports policy.
NP: A great victory in Paris. Is the Antonetti magic starting to work?
FA: It’s too early. We shouldn’t sum things up after each match. We’ll see in May. There will be good periods and bad periods. We are a competitive team, capable of upsetting all teams; it’s up to us to be ambitious and conquering, and to be serious in order to have the best possible season.
NP: After Bastia and Saint-Etienne, you now coach Nice. Do you like teams with strong identities?
FA: I call them clubs with strong identities. My character fits a bit. That’s probably why I am requested.
NP: What is missing for Gym to move up a level?
FA: We lack a stadium to step up and grow. With the stadium, there would be more resources and thus easier to build a team, but I am satisfied with the one I have.
NP: What do you think of the use of video in refereeing?
It would be a small step forward. Not everything will be resolved. On some decisions, issues will be resolved but not all problems. If we can do it, we should not hesitate.
NP: What are the goals for Gym and Antonetti?
FA: To have a calm season. Not to scare ourselves, without anxieties, and then to uncover ambitions as the season progresses.
NP: What do you think of the Nice supporters?
FA: They are very passionate and very attached to their club. Many people I meet tell me “I have been going to the stadium for 30 years, 40 years” and then there are also many young people. It is a club with strong identity. The day the stadium is built, there will be crowds worthy of the big clubs.
NP: Do you prefer “Vinceremu” or “Pace e salute”?
FA: A bit of both. Vinceremu on the field and pace e salute in life.
NP: Do you go online and visit fans’ forums?
FA: I used to go, but in this job, you have to be wary of what people say. My son goes there and he tells me a bit about the trends.
NP: Are you still at the hotel?
FA: No, I am already settled.
NP: What is your opinion on L1?
FA: Everyone turns their nose up at it. The level is good. Nine clubs are qualified in the European cup. The championship is raided every year. Yet it remains good every year; this shows the strength of our football. Championships like in Yugoslavia or Eastern European countries have been raided and do not return to the same value. The French championship is maintained thanks to training centers. If we had the best French players or the means to bring in the best European players like in the 70s, it would be better, but we must not turn up our noses. Sometimes some complain about 0-0 but there are very good 0-0s. In football, it’s not just about the goal, there’s the content as well. A good, well-organized defensive team is also beautiful. As are those who play on the counter or who build. There are several ways to see football.
NP: The upcoming Nice-ASSE match, any comments on this encounter?
FA: The faster this match is done with, the better for me. It’s a match, in my case, that we don’t like to experience too much.
NP: You’ve faced Troyes, Toulouse, Sochaux, Nantes, and Paris. Who have caused you problems? Which players have impressed you?
FA: Everyone has caused us problems. In a match, there are always periods when we are dominated. Nantes and Sochaux have a very good base game even if they are not effective enough in the last 30 meters, they manage to destabilize the opposing team. The good players, without being original, are Ilan, Toulalan, Fae, and in Paris, it’s all the players, individually they are all good!
NP: If you could have any player, regardless of the budget, who would it be?
FA: I do not look at such players. I am so used to being in clubs that do not have the means that I have not thought about it…
NP: What do you think of Corsican football?
FA: It’s a land of passion. In every village, there are always football players. Sometimes the passion exceeds the limits. There will always be teams in L1 or L2 even if the island is small and not very populous.
NP: What is your unforgettable match?
FA: (He thinks). As a coach, it’s the day of the promotion with Saint Etienne at Châteauroux. There were twenty minutes that are rare to live, and I hope to experience them in Nice. We were at 1-1, we were assured of promotion but we were playing for the title and there were these exceptional twenty minutes. The public and the players were united, it’s unforgettable. It’s a moment I would like to experience with Nice.
NP: Tell us about the arrival of Souleymane Camara. What will he bring?
FA: Camara will bring his speed, his worth, and a bit more competition. He’s a young player, very promising. He will have more playing time at Nice and I hope he can fully thrive.
NP: Will there be squad issues during the African Cup of Nations in January with the potential absences of Traoré, Yahia, Tchato, Koné, Bagayoko, Camara?
FA: Mali isn’t qualified. Neither is Yahia with Algeria. We’ll lose the Cameroonians, the Senegalese, and the Ivorians. It’s the lot of all teams. We’ll have to cope and other players will have their chance.
NP: The only small misunderstanding during the Mercato is the loan to Troyes of Florent Boucansaud, just arrived at Nice. Can you explain this loan and do you follow his performances which so far seem excellent?
FA: It’s a matter of playing time. When he arrived at Nice, there were already five players in his position as stopper. Florent Boucansaud is a young player, he needs playing time. The offer from Troyes came. It was also necessary to balance the payroll. He still belongs to the Gym. He’s going to learn about L1 in Troyes. Sometimes a loan is a good thing. It’s like Di Scotto at Amiens. We couldn’t offer them as much playing time.
NP: Prince is currently on trial. Will he join the Gym’s squad?
FA: I don’t know. It’s up to him to show where he is at. He’s a boy who’s struggling and has qualities. We are extending a hand to him. It’s up to him to grab it.
NP: To talk about the city of Nice. What places do you appreciate?
FA: Nice is a beautiful city. But I haven’t had the chance to really discover it given the crazy pace since the beginning of the preparation. I’ve been to the city center twice. It’s beautiful. I love the old buildings from the beginning of the century. They are magnificent.
NP: You speak Corsican, you know a few Japanese words, do you speak Niçois?
FA: Niçois and Corsican are two close languages. When Roger Ricort spoke in Niçois I understood everything.