Impossible to honor the players trained at the club without thinking of Hugo Lloris. So, to give substance to our thoughts, a quick transatlantic phone call was necessary. Before Nice – Strasbourg, the center's pickoun, who has become a monument of world football, picked up with pleasure, live from Los Angeles. He sent his greetings to the people of Nice and provided some advice to the generations of tomorrow.
Hugo, today, what does the Gym mean to you?
It's difficult to sum up in one word. But there you go, when we talk about a club of the heart, that sums up a little the place that the Gym has in my life, in my career. I wore the colors red and black from the time I was 10 until I was 21. My first match? So, I couldn't tell you… But it was in my youngest 2nd year. I remember the red and black jersey. It was Adidas at the time, very large…
And what did he represent when you were little?
It was the town club. I wasn't very open about European football or the French team. But the pros from Nice – we often met them on Wednesdays, at Charles-Ehrmann – we saw them as stars. I don't want to say anything stupid, but when I arrived my first year, the club was still in D1. In the process, he goes down, but even in the second division, you had Pablito Rodríguez, the star, Dominique Aulanier. You can always say to yourself with hindsight: “They were players in the second division”. But they were the city's star players. They meant a lot. A little later, when they returned to Ligue 1, at the time of Gernot Rohr, you had José Cobos, Noé Pamarot, Cédric Varrault… These players had an important place in the city of Nice. For us young people, it was a source of inspiration.
Do you have a memory that is perhaps more memorable than any other from your time at the center?
The best memory I have is the title of French 18-year-old champion, with Alain Wathelet, because it was really an achievement, the consecration of a generation of players, the 1985 generation. Me, I am 86. There were also some who were with them. We won the title of French champion in the final against Ben Arfa's Lyon, among others. We had a season where we were undefeated. We were a group of friends within the OGC Nice team, very talented boys.
You went to the top of the world in your playing career. Have your years of training always stayed with you?
Yes, because I remain a Nice resident. It's in my roots and that will never change. This is how I built myself. Of course, subsequently, I adapted to other environments, to other cultures. Besides, it allowed me to evolve as a man, as an athlete. But I still remain very Nice and very attached to the values of the club and the city.
What message could you send to the young Aiglons who are at the training center?
I tell them to do things in order. First of all, to be focused on your daily work, to be focused on the present moment, to not think too far ahead. I wasn't necessarily a patient person back then, but I was focused on the present moment. This is how we give ourselves the best chance of success. Today, when we are faced with difficulties, we immediately want to look elsewhere. When in fact no, we have to face these difficulties. It's what makes you stronger and it's the way to prove to others that you have your place and that you can succeed in your club. Nice is also a club with strong values. It's important for players, especially young ones, to identify with these values. It’s still a great institution, a club that has progressed. There is a great training center, a magnificent stadium, a team which manages to qualify for European competitions, with internationals, including French. There is everything and it would be a shame not to give ourselves every chance to succeed because we add difficulties. It's hard enough as it is.
Do you have a word for the supporters before Nice – Strasbourg?
I always like to thank them for their passion, their support. I think that in Nice, there is always a large audience, one of the largest audiences in the French Championship. The club will always need its supporters to continue to progress and achieve its objectives. When I watch the summaries, I always listen to hear them sing…
Comments collected by Benjamin Brudno
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