A soccer club is like an iceberg. There’s the visible side that everyone sees: the players, the coach, the results, the president, and the passion of the fans. Then, there’s the submerged side, invisible but essential; without it, the visible side could not exist.
For the past two years, Virginie Rossetti, 31, has been in charge of communications at OGC Nice… More than just an ordinary employee, she is a true supporter of the club, not only since she has been employed there. Her first heart flutters did not start yesterday: “I’ve been going to the Ray stadium since I was ten. I know all the stands, all the fan chants, the team rosters for the past 20 years and the club’s results.”
She will never forget May 29, 1990. An unforgettable day at Ray. All the fans remember Robby Langers from Luxembourg scoring four goals and the 6-0 victory over Strasbourg that allowed Nice to move up to the first division. “It’s my fondest memory at Ray. It was fantastic. An incredible match.”
Today, Virginie Rossetti blends passion and work with a certain pleasure almost 24 hours a day, seven days a week. From the first light of day, her primary task is to buy newspapers to compile a press review about the club. Often, she fine-tunes it on weekends at the beach to “relax” by reading articles she missed during the week: “On Sundays, I read football magazines… actually, I also work on Sundays.”
On match days, she is at the stadium by 4 p.m., four hours before the match to prepare for the arrival of the media. She welcomes them. This is what she calls the “event part.” During the Troyes reception, aside from her previously mentioned duties, Virginie Rossetti had to look after Gilles Veissière, who kicked off the match. “You have to think of everything, chase after him so he can wear the club’s shirt.” This might seem like a mere anecdote to fans but it is critical for the club’s communication. Taking care of small details…
Virginie Rossetti is a happy woman. She, the supporter, has become a decision-maker, helping shape the destiny of the club close to her heart, thanks to her successful studies at CERAM in Sophia-Antipolis in commerce and marketing. She grows with it and contributes to its development.
José Cobos. “He’s my favorite player. He’s the same in life as he is on the field. Some players seem amiable in front of the microphones and are different in real life. For José, this is not the case. He’s a good person.”
Subscribers. “I am in charge of the subscription campaign. We currently have just over 5000. We could use more. Clubs like Caen and Nancy have twice as many as us. Prices have dropped (-25% on average) and a good start to the season could persuade fans to subscribe. True, the stadium’s layout does not allow increasing the number of subscribers. It’s one of the priorities of the new stadium.”
New stadium. “Everyone at the club would have preferred to stay at Ray. It’s the club’s history. We need to develop, to grow the club, and for that, despite our wishes, building a new stadium other than at Ray was mandatory.”
Antonetti. “He’s only been here a month. I haven’t had much opportunity to talk to him as he was very busy preparing his team and the training sessions. I like him. Plus, we kind of have the same temperament. We should get along well.”
A fan’s view. “I have confidence in this season. The gameplay will be more offensive. Koné is explosive and should contribute a lot, as should Bagayoko. With the arrivals of Yahia and Tchato, the defense is solid and technical.”
Vincent Trinquat