Will Nice be the 8th elite club to change coach this season? In the aftermath of the inglorious elimination against Puy (1-0), the question is not incongruous. Reinforced by its leaders in November, at the time of the truce linked to the World Cup, Lucien Favre saw his position weaken with this disillusion suffered against the 16th National. This second defeat in a row, after that suffered in the league in Rennes, on January 2 (2-1), reshuffles the cards and darkens the horizon of the Swiss technician. The latter sends back a feeling of powerlessness and seems to have few levers to pull to get a disoriented collective out of the rut.
As early as September, the Nice board had already sought to part with it. Approached, Mauricio Pochettino the former coach of Paris-SG, had declined. For the moment, nothing is recorded but a reflection would be engaged. According to our information, which confirms that of Nice Matin, the internal solution, embodied by Didier Digard, collects votes. Aged 36, the former captain of Nice was appointed assistant coach a few weeks ago. Previously, the short-lived midfielder of PSG (19 games in 2007-2008) presided over the technical destinies of the reserve team.
The upcoming schedule might dictate the tempo. Nice welcomes Montpellier, this Wednesday, before moving to Reims on Sunday January 15. It will follow for Dante’s partners a 15-day break inherent in the programming of the 16th finals of the Coupe de France on the weekend of January 21 and 22. The Nice management can choose to grant a one-week reprieve to Favre, who returned to the club in June 2022 to succeed Christophe Galtier, or opt for a more radical solution and decide on the spot for the next 48 hours.
An eye on Abel Ferreira for next summer
One thing is clear today. In the event that Favre manages to evade the ax, it is hard to imagine him stretching his mission beyond the current season. Only a spectacular recovery in L1 – the OGCN occupies an anonymous 11th place at 12 lengths from 5th place – would perhaps be likely to change the trend.
In its quest for a new member for its bench, in the summer of 2023, Nice is studying several avenues. One would lead, according to someone familiar with the matter, to Sao Paulo, where Abel Ferreira, the coach of Palmeiras, officiates. The 43-year-old Lusitanian is still under contract for two years. It would cost close to €5 million to hire his services. This sum does not appear to represent an obstacle for Nice and its shareholder Ineos.
Ferreira enjoys a strong reputation in Brazil. According to a recent poll conducted by the media UOL Sport, the Portuguese, in office since 2020, is even the favorite of players in the Brazilian championship to succeed Tite at the head of the Seleçao. With Palmeiras, he won, it is true, a Brazilian cup (2020), a Recopa Sudamericana (2022), a Paulista championship (2022), two Copas Libertadores (2020, 2021) and the Brasileirão (Brazilian championship) in November 2022.
Thanks to his 6 titles won with Verdão since 2020, Ferreira has become the third most successful manager in the club’s history, tied with Luiz Felipe Scolari. He can still enter the legend of Palmeiras since he is only two titles away from Vanderlei Luxemburgo’s record. Previously, he had experiences in Braga and PAOK Salonika.