Three years younger than club captain Dante, OGC Nice interim coach Didier Digard is one of France’s more unexpected managerial success stories. So minimal is Digard’s experience that, until recently and in circumstances similar to Reims boss Will Still, his lack of French football’s BEPF coaching diploma meant the Riviera club were fined €25,000 for every game he oversaw. However, since Digard’s January arrival, Nice have progressed from cup humiliation by third-tier Le Puy and fretting over the four-team relegation zone to vibrant European hopefuls.
As a result, despite the price tag, Nice quickly extended Digard’s stay to at least the end of the season, impressed by an opening run of 14 games unbeaten which produced away victories over podium-chasing Lens, Marseille and Monaco. The former Middlesbrough midfielder has amped up training intensity and provided a more positive coaching presence than relatively dogmatic former managers Lucien Favre and Patrick Vieira. A switch to a forward-thinking 4-3-3 has got the best from his star players too, most notably dynamic midfielder Khephren Thuram, who made his France debut in March.
Esta historia es de la edición June 2023 de World Soccer.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición June 2023 de World Soccer.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer
The well-travelled Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer after taking charge of the Philippines-his 11th international coaching role
Inter cruise to title number 20
Simone Inzaghi's Internazionale shrug off all challengers before sealing the Serie A title in style against their biggest rivals
HAT-TRICK HERO
Ademola Lookman wrote his name into European football's history books with a hat-trick in the Europa League final
GOING UP
The story of Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres' career has been one of upward trajectory - and there's plenty more to come from the Sporting superstar
Palau soldier on alone
The isolated Pacific nation faces a long and lonely battle to improve football on the island
Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six
As the Copa Libertadores group stage concludes, a sixth consecutive Brazilian winner is looking likely
AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown
The first edition of the Saudi Pro League's glamorous new era ends with a familiar title winner
Disasters brewing
There is still a long way to go in World Cup qualifying, but dysfunction reigns at Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria after four matchdays in the group stage
Second round of World Cup qualifying underway
Favourites perform largely as expected, yet Cayman Islands dominate the headlines