Franck Haise
Le groupe
« Glen (Kamara) a fait presque l’intégralité de la semaine, ça s’est bien passé. Le programme de Frankie (Frankowski) était un peu plus allégé mais il a aussi repris en collectif, en partie. Nous verrons après la séance de samedi s’il postule. Jérémy (Jacquet) s’est fait opérer et ça s’est bien passé. Pour le match, on a une légère incertitude concernant Yassir (Zabiri) qui a une tension musculaire. »
Match spécial avec ce retour à Nice
« Mon passage à Nice ne se résume pas aux deux derniers mois. On a fait une première saison de belle facture avec notamment une qualification pour le tour préliminaire de la Ligue des Champions. La deuxième saison était plus compliquée. C’est particulier parce que c’est récent. Je reverrai certaines personnes avec beaucoup de plaisir. J’ai essayé de faire du 100% (NDLR : d’adhésion) tant que j’étais là-bas. J’ai de bons souvenirs à Nice. C’est d’abord un match de compétition, pour nous et pour eux. »
L'adversaire
« Il y a de la qualité dans cet effectif, il n’y a pas de débat. C’est une équipe accrocheuse, avec de la qualité offensive, peut-être plus verticale qu’avant. La qualification en demi-finale de Coupe de France est positive pour leur dynamique. D’autant plus qu’ils ont vécu des moments difficiles en championnat. Je ne sais pas ce qu’il se passe en interne, je ne connais pas la dynamique du groupe. Je m’occupe de celle du Stade Rennais. »
Deux visages face à Toulouse
« Je trouve que c’est vraiment sur le premier quart d’heure de la deuxième mi-temps qu’on a reculé avec cette occasion dans la profondeur et on a été plus attentiste. Ce qui n’est jamais facile à mesurer c’est la dimension psychologique de cette occasion, d’un entrant, qui nous met en difficulté. Passer ce premier quart d’heure, ce n’était pas si mal même si on a moins récupéré de ballons hauts et eu moins de situations. Nous menions 1-0, en protection. »
Les victoires
« Si on enchaîne encore, ce sera une belle série. Chaque match a son importance et il ne faudra pas s’endormir, il va falloir prendre des points. »
My time at Nice cannot be summed up by the last two months. We had a very good first season, notably qualifying for the Champions League qualifying rounds.
Changing a winning team?
“If we look at the first half… But the reflection always exists. I know all the players, but there is no special status. I look at the facts, the work. I see a lot of quality things. I don’t know if there will be changes. If there are, they will be minor. I told the group: ‘What’s the danger when you’ve won three times with the same team?’ If there is a danger, it’s easy to identify. The starters might think they are guaranteed starters, and the substitutes might think they won’t play anymore. Which is obviously not true. Sometimes you don’t change the team for three matches, and at other times you make thirty changes in thirty matches. What matters is that everyone pushes, that the group of twenty players works.”
Breel Embolo’s role
“All players want to play. Breel was a starter in the system with two strikers. Naturally, he paid the price for the change in system because he’s a central striker profile. Estéban is playing good matches, scoring goals, and being very useful for the team. What I expect from Breel, and from the others, is that they remain the guarantors of the team’s spirit. Breel has the right mindset. Disappointment is one thing, but Breel is still a good player and a driving force.”
Yassir Zabiri’s adaptation
“He’s a player with a lot of qualities, attracted to central areas. Yassir is capable of playing in different attacking positions and, depending on the movements, he may be used on the wing. He’s also still learning and must go and earn things. It’s up to him to be consistent—he has the qualities to do it. I brought him on at Auxerre for his first match; there are often steps to go through, and then there’s the notion of competition. Emotionally, a professional player must keep going even when things don’t immediately go his way. Every day, you have to show the staff, the coach, and your teammates that you’re there, ready to fight for your place.”
The Rouault–Brassier partnership
“I always find it difficult to judge a centre-back partnership if you take away the team responsible for the defensive structure. It’s not just about the centre-backs, the goalkeeper, or the midfield three. The whole team worked well. That makes things more comfortable for the centre-backs because they are less exposed. Lilian and Anthony complement each other well, and they also know they have competition since Alidu and Abdelhamid are back. That’s good for everyone, and it’s also good for balance to have a left-footer and a right-footer. You can say they’ve been very solid over the last three matches.”
Anthony Rouault
A good run of form
“Things are going well. We’re putting together wins and that puts a smile on everyone’s face. We need to keep it going so it lasts and so we can reach our objectives.”
The system
“I don’t necessarily prefer playing in a back four. I have reference points in both systems; it’s more about the overall setup. I don’t have any problem playing in a back three. In either case, it suits me.”
“When I wasn’t playing, we also had three good defenders and the team was performing well. It’s healthy competition and I’m benefiting from it at the moment.”
His performances
“I'm playing again and I'm happy. In any case, I stayed focused on my work. We’re here to play and we all push each other to improve. When I wasn’t playing, we also had three good defenders and the team was performing well. It’s healthy competition and I’m benefiting from it at the moment. As long as it benefits the team, that’s what matters.”
The new system
“The system allows some players to better understand and control what they have to do. It creates a positive cycle. The win against Paris did us a lot of good. Victories help us play with more freedom. The starts of the second halves? That’s an area for improvement we’re working on.”
The race for Europe
“I haven’t done the math. Fifth place is in our hands. The objective is to look upwards, to win as many matches as possible, hoping to build a bit of a cushion. The important thing is to keep going.”
Areas for improvement for the centre-back pairing
“It will come with automatisms. We can improve by adapting the way we defend to support each other depending on our qualities. It’s something that is worked on in training, with time and confidence.”
Matchday 25 Ligue 1 McDonald's
OGC Nice / Stade Rennais F.C.
Sunday, 8 March 2026 - 5:15 p.m.
Allianz Riviera
