Pierre Marc is 50 years old and has supported Bordeaux since he was 10, Jonathan is 21 and has been going to Parc Lescure (Stade Chaban-Delmas) since 1997, Laurent is 38 and has supported the Girondins for over thirty years. Three generations of supporters analyze Bordeaux’s recruitment, their laborious season start with two defeats against Lyon and Lille, and their evening opponent OGC Nice.
Nice-Première: First of all, a retrospective question: Did you sincerely expect to finish in second place a year ago?
Pierre-Marc: Hard to say, I hoped for one of the top three places, but after playing for survival and finishing fifteenth, it was unexpected. We owe it mainly to the inconsistency of Lyon’s other challengers.
Jonathan: Deep down, everyone hoped, because every supporter wants their team to go as high as possible. But when you are realistic, after the season we had, where we were on the brink of relegation, it can seem crazy! We owe this second place a lot to Ricardo, who managed to bring what Bordeaux lacked, namely rigor, hard work… the players were also exemplary, fighting in every match, giving their best. I think most of us would have signed for a place in the European Cup.
Laurent: Absolutely not! Ricardo is the main architect of our good season, he brought rigor and discipline to the group, luck did the rest.
NP: Defense was the strong point. Can you characterize it by taking the players one by one: Jemmali, Jurietti, Henrique, Planus?
Pierre-Marc: I believe it’s more of a block than individualities. David Jemmali is one of the best right-backs in the championship, but he makes too many fouls, which leads to cards and suspensions. He also contributes offensively and is capable of scoring superb goals.
Franck Jurietti embodies tenacity, the fierce will to win… but he will be suspended against Nice, for a card received in a friendly against Benfica two months ago and honestly, I really don’t understand! He will be missed a lot in defense on Saturday.
Carlos Henrique, a tall and physical defender, sometimes too much, good at heading, but he made a major blunder against Lille which gave the second goal, I hope he’ll make up for it.
Marc Planus, a player I particularly appreciate, he has class, I hope he will have a good return.
I have no idea what the defense will be on Saturday, Enakharire, Marange?
Jonathan: Jemmali started as a full-back and then finished in the middle in the last games, he’s someone who is calm, who says what he thinks. When things aren’t going well, he won’t hesitate to say it. Moreover, his defensive moves have changed compared to before. His tackles were sometimes clumsy, but now he’s much more focused.
Jurietti, he’s quite different from Jemmali’s style. His main strength is aggression. He fights on the field throughout the match. He also makes very good runs on his side. He offers offensive solutions. He also corrected his defensive positioning, which was too approximate.
Henrique, he’s a very physical player, and very good with headers. However, his footwork is still very much improvable, but he’s getting better in that area. His tackles are quite harsh, he doesn’t hold back. The striker knows what to expect with him.
Planus, on the other hand, is a player with class. He’s our control tower. Defensively, he’s a monster, recovering countless balls, even with headers, despite his small stature. All his defensive gestures are very clean. It’s a pure pleasure to watch him play, making a controlled tackle, then launching a counterattack.
The defense was exemplary last year. Each of them did their job with brilliance. The team relied first on the defense, and then the attack. It’s the foundation of the team.
Laurent: Jemmali is a reliable asset, his performance becomes optimal when he plays serenely. Currently, he plays as a libero and handles it honorably.
Jurietti had his best football season last season, he was justly rewarded with a selection for the French team, he will have to confirm it. I would add that his will and tenacity are major assets in his game.
Ah.. Henrique! As of today, he’s a disappointment, his behavior may seem strange and his defensive actions are often approximate, however, his header game is of quality. To be followed…
Marco Planus is a future great, excellent tackler and always very involved in the game. One problem remains, the kick-off.
NP: You find Johan Micoud again. What memories do you have of him and is it the same player who returned to Lescure? What will he bring to you?
Pierre-Marc: Johan, it’s a true pleasure to see him return to Bordeaux, I love this player, he had a great career with the Girondins, and a sublime one at Werder Bremen.
He should have had a bigger international career.
He has a great sense of the game, and perfect technique. Now, it changes the whole team’s way of playing; we need to find the right composition very quickly.
I remember his last season with us, and his blue hair.
Jonathan: Yes, we find a player we greatly appreciate in Bordeaux. He was somewhat the darling of Lescure Stadium. He reminded us a bit of a certain Zizou who went through Cannes before arriving and exploding in Bordeaux. He almost has the same position and several qualities that Zidane had. Good technically, distributor of golden passes, and scorer in important moments, he hasn’t changed since his return except that he’s taken on another dimension. He gained a lot of experience from his years at Parma, especially at Werder Bremen. He shares it with the club and the young players. Professionally, he’s an example; he commands respect.
Laurent: Micoud was part of the title-winning team in ’99, he’s appreciated in Bordeaux.
His technical gestures and fighting spirit will allow us to play in the right direction. He is undoubtedly the “Mr. Plus” for the Girondins.
NP: An overview of the recruitment. Can you tell us more about the new Bordeaux players Enakarkhire, Dalmat, Wendel? Did you expect better?
Pierre-Marc: I expected much better, especially an attacking midfielder on the left, a defender, a scorer…
The good side is that apart from Cheyrou and Denilson, we haven’t lost any players.
Enakarkhire is said to be strong, we’ll see, Wendel the same, I’m waiting to see him play. Stéphane Dalmat has talent. I hope he will be motivated. If so, he can bring us a lot.
Jonathan: I think the recruitment was very disappointing. All the supporters expected better. It’s a major disappointment. Additionally, the reception of Nice will be an opportunity to show our discontent. It’s a surprise for Mr. Triaud and M6.
After that, the players who arrived, we don’t really know them, except Stéphane Dalmat. Stéph’ arrives somewhat unknown to us. We do not know his actual capabilities to play at this level. He barely played last year with his former Spanish club Santander. We hope he finds the level he had at Toulouse two years ago.
Enakarhire is a very good header player and powerful. He is a Nigerian international. But we also don’t know much about his form state. He played little last year.
Wendel is a technically quite strong Brazilian, fast, and makes very good crosses. He must adapt to the French style of play. He is still quite frail in that area.
Laurent: This is the sore point, the recruitment is weak for a Champions League playing team. We are in expectation for these three recruits. President Triaud is beginning to seriously irritate us!
NP: What does the Champions League mean to you? How do you assess the opponents: Galatasaray, PSV, and Liverpool?
Pierre-Marc: The Champions League is the most beautiful club competition, it’s a pleasure to see your team participate. It will be very difficult. Liverpool is very tough, PSV is also solid, as for Galatasaray, it won’t be easy at all, especially in Turkey.
I don’t want to make predictions; we need to make one or two upsets away, and be strong and good at Chaban-Delmas.
Jonathan: It includes the greatest teams from different European leagues. A player who plays in a club dreams of playing it. It is somewhat the culmination of the hard work one puts in at the club. It’s a reward.
We are in a tough group, but finally quite balanced, and where all teams have their chances. Galatasaray is known for its stadium with its crazy atmosphere. Over there, it sets everything on fire. But away, it is also dangerous by producing play.
PSV, everyone knows them, especially the Lyonnais! It’s a solid team based on collective play. It is also very cohesive and doesn’t give up anything.
Liverpool is the group’s favorite team. All players are impressive, and each can change a match, especially Gerrard, the man to watch.
Laurent: The Champions League is top level. Our three opponents will therefore be formidable. A supporter must believe in their team but objectively qualifying would be an exploit.
NP: Let’s talk about Saturday’s match. A former Bordeaux player plays at Nice: Cyril Rool. What are your recollections of him?
Pierre-Marc: Cyril is a player I appreciated. He was very combative, sometimes a bit too much.
I hope he will receive a warm welcome at Lescure.
Jonathan: He’s a player who reminds me a bit of Jurietti. He has the same qualities. He’s a winner, he doesn’t give up. Moreover, he brings his experience to young players. His gameplay is quite complete. We have good memories of him. I hope it’s the same from your side.
Laurent: Cyril started the season well and then, like the team, he collapsed. Yet this player has enormous qualities, but his fiery temperament sometimes gets the better of him… Too bad!
NP: What do you fear and who do you fear at Nice? Are you surprised by the poor start of the Azurian club’s season?
Pierre-Marc: What I fear most is OGCN’s need to catch up on lost points. Otherwise, you have a player I like a lot, Vahirua, I would have loved to see him in the Girondins’ jersey, I think he can bring danger.
Jonathan: I fear the attack as the front four are very good and capable of overturning a defense on their own. There’s not really one player that scares me more than another, but if I had to choose one, I’d say Matt Moussilou.
It’s clear that it’s surprising to see Nice in that position. I think that if you find the defense you had last year, with the current attack, it might be very formidable. Now, I hope they will regain their defensive effectiveness next week.
Laurent: The departure of Sébastien Roudet surprised me. However, I remain convinced that the Niçois are not in their rightful place. Your strength? Undoubtedly the attack and a certain Vahirua!
NP: What does OGC Nice evoke for you?
Pierre-Marc: It’s a great and old club, I remember the 70s, Chorda, Loubet, Baratelli, I hope they will return to the top of the table.
Jonathan: A heated stadium where it’s difficult to play, a team capable of anything and nothing at the same time. Supporters very revved up at every match.
Laurent: A team with a respectable past but struggling to regain its stature. Nice is a large city, in proportion the results are insufficient!
NP: A message for the supporters.
Pierre-Marc: I wish for a good match. I hope the atmosphere will be good between the supporters.
Jonathan: try to beat our competitors and let us win the 2 matches this year.
and of course: go Bordeaux!!!
Laurent: The Niçois supporters are passionate, and that’s rather a quality, a few strays tarnish the club’s image like in Paris, Marseille, and Lyon.
NP: Finally, a prediction? For the season of both clubs and for the match.
Pierre-Marc: As said earlier, I wish you to settle in the top half of the table.
For us, I hope for a place in the top three, even though it will be very difficult.
For the match, I fear it will be tight, but I hope for a narrow 2-0 win for the Girondins.
Jonathan: for the match: Bordeaux 3 – 1 Nice
-for the season: – Bordeaux: 2nd
- Nice : 8th
Laurent: As for the match, I see a narrow victory for the Gigis, something like 1-0.
In the final standings, Bordeaux will be in the top six and Nice behind between 6th and 10th place. Good luck to you, Nice friends!
