What if correlation actually meant causation? The most successful season for Nice under Ineos’s ownership happened to coincide with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team being kept away from the club due to UEFA regulations. “They’ve performed much better without our involvement,” Ratcliffe admitted last season, as Nice secured their best league position since 2017. Now that Nice and Manchester United are no longer in the same European competition, Ineos resumed control of the French club this summer—and has only confirmed Ratcliffe’s earlier observation.
Nice were knocked out of the Champions League in the qualifying round by Benfica in early August and have since lost three of their first six Ligue 1 matches, along with a Europa League defeat to Roma last Wednesday. “We can’t say we’re full of joy and confidence,” said manager Franck Haise before Sunday’s 1-1 draw with newly promoted Paris FC.
Nice are clearly struggling. Injuries haven’t helped, but relying on 41-year-old Dante and the frequently injured Tanguy Ndombélé points to deeper issues in squad building. Sporting director Florian Maurice called the summer transfer window “unpleasant.” Financially, things looked good—the club made €108 million from player sales, the third-highest in Ligue 1. However, that money wasn’t reinvested significantly, and the new signings haven’t delivered.
A third of Nice’s budget went on Isak Jansson, who seems unsuited to Ligue 1 and wasn’t especially prolific at Rapid Vienna either. Yehvann Diouf looks a far cry from the goalkeeper he was at Reims last season. Kevin Carlos is still waiting for his first goal, and Salis Abdul Samed, trying to revive his career after an injury-plagued spell at Sunderland, is low on confidence.
“We expect more,” Haise said recently. “That applies to other players too, not just the new signings.” But the newcomers aren’t filling the gaps left by last season’s top scorers, Evann Guessand and Gaëtan Laborde. Between the ineffective Jansson, the out-of-form Carlos, and Terem Moffi—whose earlier prolific run at Lorient now looks like a one-off—it’s hard to see where goals will come from.
In search of reinforcements, Maurice turned to Manchester United but found no support. “We considered options like having them sign a player and loan him to us, but their priority was selling,” he explained. Nice have been met with a level of indifference that would make Strasbourg, owned by BlueCo, envious. “I don’t think Manchester United’s model is like the Chelsea-Strasbourg link,” Maurice noted. The contrast between the two clubs highlights the varying realities of multi-club ownership.
Nice weren’t just looking for players over the summer—they were also seeking clarity. There’s been little communication from the owners about their commitment to the club, especially with reports that investment bank Lazard has been asked to find a buyer. This silence has been frustrating, as Haise acknowledged earlier this season. “Many of us are waiting for the owners to speak,” he said, adding that he was “annoyed” by Ratcliffe’s critical remarks about the club last season. Ratcliffe made a rare visit to the Allianz Riviera on Wednesday to watch Nice lose 2-1 to Roma in the Europa League.Although he wasn’t seated with Maurice and CEO Fabrice Bocquet in the stands, he was present at the Ligue 1 match.
Our young men need guidance and positive examples, and football can play a role in providing that.
Ratcliffe’s earlier remark that Nice’s football quality “isn’t high enough to excite me” seems more applicable now than when he first said it last season. Coach Haise, who remains secure in his position, is doing his best to assemble a competitive team, though he admits he’s “no magician” and understands the fans’ worries.
Those concerns are justified. After matches against Toulouse, Auxerre, Le Havre, Nantes, Brest, and Paris FC, Nice sits 12th in the 18-team league. “It’s not enough,” Haise stated on Sunday. “Two wins, one draw, and three losses against teams that aren’t usually at the top of the table. We expect more, but this is our current situation. We must raise our level, especially as we know the quality of our opponents will also rise.”
Their next four games are against Monaco, Lyon, Lille, and PSG, all of whom are in the top six. For a club pondering its long-term direction, there are immediate challenges to tackle. However, decisions made recently by Ineos and Nice’s broader management may have already jeopardized their hopes of qualifying for European competition next season.
Ligue 1 Results:
– Nice 1-1 Paris FC
– Angers 0-2 Brest
– Lille 0-1 Lyon
– Metz 0-0 Le Havre
– Rennes 0-0 Lens
– Lorient 3-1 Monaco
– Toulouse 2-2 Nantes
– PSG 2-0 Auxerre
– Strasbourg 1-2 Marseille
Talking Points:
PSG bounced back from their defeat in Le Classique with a straightforward 2-0 victory over Auxerre, reclaiming the top spot in Ligue 1. However, the win came with setbacks as Vitinha and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were substituted before halftime, casting doubt on their availability for Wednesday’s match against Barcelona. Injuries have been rampant at Le Campus this season, likely due to a longer season and shortened pre-season. Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, João Neves, Fabián Ruiz, and Marquinhos are also sidelined. While a backup PSG squad might manage in Ligue 1, it could be a different challenge in Barcelona.
Adi Hütter has voiced his dissatisfaction after every Monaco performance this season, acknowledging the paradox given their top position in Ligue 1 before this weekend. Following a 5-2 win over Metz last week, he insisted, “It is not good enough.” On Saturday, they suffered a 3-1 loss to Lorient, compounded by Thilo Kehrer’s harsh red card in the first half and a midfield decimated by injuries—Lamine Camara, Denis Zakaria, Aleksandr Golovin, Aladji Bamba, and Paul Pogba are all unavailable due to injury or lack of fitness. Poor form predated these absences, raising valid concerns ahead of their Champions League match against Manchester City on Wednesday.
Ligue 1 Standings:
1. PSG – P:6, GD:8, Pts:15
2. Lyon – P:6, GD:5, Pts:15
3. Marseille – P:6, GD:7, Pts:12
4. Monaco – P:6, GD:4, Pts:12
5. Strasbourg – P:6, GD:2, Pts:12
6. Lille – P:6, GD:4, Pts:10Lens is in 7th place with 6 points, a goal difference of 3, and 10 points.
Rennes is in 8th place with 6 points, a goal difference of -1, and 9 points.
Brest is in 9th place with 6 points, a goal difference of 0, and 7 points.
Toulouse is in 10th place with 6 points, a goal difference of -2, and 7 points.
Paris FC is in 11th place with 6 points, a goal difference of -3, and 7 points.
Nice is in 12th place with 6 points, a goal difference of -3, and 7 points.
Lorient is in 13th place with 6 points, a goal difference of -5, and 7 points.
Auxerre is in 14th place with 6 points, a goal difference of -4, and 6 points.
Le Havre is in 15th place with 6 points, a goal difference of -2, and 5 points.
Nantes is in 16th place with 6 points, a goal difference of -2, and 5 points.
Angers is in 17th place with 6 points, a goal difference of -3, and 5 points.
Metz is in 18th place with 6 points, a goal difference of -8, and 2 points.
This is an article by Get French Football News.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Jim Ratcliffes return to Nice and the teams current difficulties with clear and concise answers
General Beginner Questions
1 Who is Jim Ratcliffe
Jim Ratcliffe is a British billionaire and the founder of the INEOS chemicals company He is a major figure in sports owning INEOS Grenadiers INEOS Britannia and having a significant stake in football clubs like OGC Nice and Manchester United
2 What is his connection to OGC Nice
Through his company INEOS Jim Ratcliffe purchased a majority stake in OGC Nice in 2019 making him the clubs owner
3 What does Jim Ratcliffe is back at Nice mean
It means that after a period where his focus may have been on other projects he is now taking a more direct handson role in the daytoday operations and decisionmaking at Nice
4 What kind of difficulties is the team facing
The team is struggling with inconsistent performances a lack of goals and a drop in the league table after a strong start to the season There also seems to be tension and a lack of clear direction
Advanced InDepth Questions
5 Why is the team struggling again after his return
A handson owner can create instability by changing strategies or undermining the managers authority The team might be suffering from a lack of a clear longterm vision with constant changes in direction from the top
6 What were the initial expectations when INEOS took over
The expectation was that INEOSs financial power and business acumen would transform Nice into a consistent title challenger in France and a regular competitor in European competitions
7 Has this pattern happened before
Yes this is a recurring theme Nice often has periods of strong performance followed by sudden slumps which fans and pundits often link to instability and strategic shifts from the ownership group
8 What is the main problem the players the coach or the ownership
While players and coaches share responsibility for onpitch results many analysts point to the ownership as the root cause A lack of a stable longterm sporting project from the top can trickle down and cause problems for coaches and players
