Counting Down to the Official Bye-Bye Baky Post (+ a Friendly)

By: Martha | July 16th, 2008

As Magnusson has already reported, things started moving again last night between Nice and OM (what with July 15 being Maurice Cohen’s designated Transfer Witching Hour and all), and it sounds like the Koné deal is all but done. According to widespread press reports, Marseille are now offering most of what Nice demanded right before Cohen broke off negotiations last week: €9 million up-front with a €1 million bonus depending on OM’s Champions League performance. The only remaining sticking point is over Nice’s percentage of Baky’s resale price: They want 15% still, but it’s likely a compromise will be worked out, probably closer to 10%. Some outlets are even reporting the deal will be finalized today, a result that will make Baky happy and allow Cohen and his minions (Does he have the budget for minions? Maybe one minion. A minion intern?) to turn their full attention to Dindane, hopefully among others.

Because, based on the results of the first two friendies, Nice are in desperate need of firepower up front — after the 1-5 loss to the unemployed UNFP squad, they drew 0-0 last night against amateur side ES Fréjus (Without Baky, who officially begged off because of a lack of fitness. Mmmhmm.). Sigh. Just so we’re clear, I’m the first to say that early friendlies don’t mean much* — they’re used basically to get people fit, experiment with systems and personnel, and to break up the monotony of training twice a day for weeks on end. That said, though, it’s only human get frustrated by lackluster results — a goal or four against Nîmes (by which point the group that just got back should be fit enough to be working their ways into the side) on Friday would do the heart a lot of good.

First half:

Ospina
Jeunechamp-Hognon-Gace-Rool
Echouafni-Fae-Hellebuyck
Rémy-Modeste-Bamogo

Second half:

Moreau
Faviana-Charvet-Gace-Berthommier
Coulibaly-Quansah-Pastor
Ozokwo-Asamoah-Bamogo (Adu, 60th)

The only changes in the first half team from the UNFP match are down to injury: Letizi is either still not fit or is being held out for precautionary reasons, and Cid also seems to have picked up an unspecified knock (anyone with more info on his status, please share). According to the official site’s report — take it with as many grains of salt as you see fit — the good things were Ospina and Rémy: The Colombian was strong in his debut, both with his feet and in the air and, for the second match in a row, Remy was the best player on the pitch, hitting the post again and making himself the focus of the Nice attack (such as it was) throughout the first half. The other attackers sound like they’re struggling mightily, though, which I will try not to get worried about until we get further into the preseason. Try.

In the second half Antonetti really went with the kids — all the youth players once again got 45 minutes, and for the first time the two Ghanian trialists (Quansah and Adu) got runs, as well. The report makes it sounds like Nice were much better in the second half but still couldn’t finish, failing to capitalize on at least one open goal.

So, training today and tomorrow: Lots of running, lots of shooting drills? What? It’s not that easy?

*The Knicks were undefeated in the Vegas summer league last season, and Nate Robinson was MVP. Nuff said.

ETA: Thanks to Corey for reminding me: That Charvet in the defense in the second half is Lyon’s Mickael Charvet who, from what I can tell, just turned up this week. I can’t find anything about his arrival, but the Nice website refers to him as a “former” Lyon defender — Inara, John, was he released?