retired_confal2

Diary entry (source: David Le Spliff's personal diary) -entry dated 7th August 2004.


It's the eve of our first league game of the season, and not surprisingly I'm finding it impossible to sleep. Even though everything is settled -the team sheet, the tactical organisation, the individual instructions, the video analysis of Bastia's pre-season outings- my mind returns to permutations and adjustments as soon as it has an idle moment. I tried reading for a while, but I was still too passive and couldn't focus properly, so here I am writing this instead.

I think it's good for us to start with a tough home game. The team has performed very well in the friendlies, even when we faced stronger opposition, and we ought to be capable of overcoming the Corsicans, who were relegated from Ligue 1 at the end of last season and will be looking to go straight back up. It's important that we avoid giving them any room in which to maneuver, and that we impose ourselves upon them in midfield from the very start of the game.

In any case, the result will probably set the tone for the weeks to come, and it will be crucial to get off to a good start in the first six or eight games if we are to challenge for honours, even though in these initial stages I'll be looking for solid performances more than actual points on the scoreboard, and if we can get both then all the better.

I haven't seen, or heard of Giacomelli since the friendly tournament. I don't even know whether he's still in Cannes or not, though I should get a chance to find out at the game tomorrow. At this point, he's the only person -aside from Oncle Bébert, but it's pretty obvious that he isn't currently disposed to put me in the picture- likely and willing to shed some light on some of the weird goings-on that I've witnessed since I was offered this job. Besides, there's something about Giacomelli's behaviour last time around that makes me think he'll need my help again -nothing specific, really, more of a hunch.

Federico [Magallanes] will almost certainly be leaving us; Ajaccio have offered us a million pounds, which frankly is more than I think he's worth, and Big Mike agreed we should accept. I heard from Federico's agent this evening, and it seems they've agreed a pay deal with the Ajaccio representatives. With that million I ought to be able to bring in another decent striker, which would mean being able to play Toledo in his true position as a winger, and bring Moustaïd infield as the point of the midfield diamond in a variation of 4-4-2. There are a few players I already have in mind, but it remains to be seen whether their respective clubs will deem our offers sufficient, and whether the players themselves would be interested in joining us. In a couple of cases, I know they are, because I met their agents with Oncle Bébert in Portugal this summer. It seems perhaps this wasn't as much of a waste of time as I thought it was back then....

retired_confal2

Game reports and team news (source: 'Bocca Vera!' fanzine, first three weeks of August 2004).


8th August 2004, La Bocca (att. 8767). Ligue 2.

AS Cannes 3
SC Bastia 2

Goals: Guy (0-1, 14; 2-2, 76), Mendy (og 1-1, 36), Inkango (2-1, 60; 3-2, 90+3).
Shots: AS Cannes 19(12), SC Bastia 5(3).

Three players were making their official débuts for Cannes: Milan Rapaic tucked in behind the front two, Steeve Théophile on the left wing and young Tim Janssen up front.

In the end it proved a deserved victory, albeit one that was snatched right at the death. Bastia took their chances well and soaked up the intense pressure, with goalkeeper Penneteau very alert on his line, but Cannes were determined to obtain all three points in their first league game of the season.

Bruce Inkango was the day's hero, coming on for the injured Tsigalko at half-time and scoring two crucial goals. The game was an open and attractive one, and Cannes obviously intend to stick to the passing, movement-based style that worked so well for them last season, and with which the new recruits already seem comfortable.


13th August 2004.

Délis Ahou strained a groin muscle during training and will be out for two weeks.


14th August 2004, Stade Léon Bollée (att. 14049). Ligue 2.

Le Mans UC 1
AS Cannes 1

Goals: Tsigalko (0-1, 65), Peyrelade (1-1, 85).
Shots: Le Mans UC 6(4), AS Cannes 10(4).

A very even game, with Cannes perhaps slightly the more adventurous side. Théophile was particularly dangerous down his left wing, whilst Moustaïd and Tsigalko were constant threats down the middle. This was the second game in a row in which the Mediterraneans faced a team relegated from Ligue 1, and once again they gave a good account of themselves.


21st August 2004, La Bocca (att. 5524). Ligue 2.

AS Cannes 4
FC Rouen 1

Goals: Saci (0-1, 5), Toledo (1-1, 26; 4-1, 83), Janssen (2-1, 56; 3-1, 75).
Shots: AS Cannes 27(17), FC Rouen 2(1).

Despite Rouen's early goal on a counter-attack, Cannes were totally in control of this game and gave their opponents a lesson in swift, accurate passing and incisive wingplay. Toledo was playing his first full game, and he ruled his right wing with an ease which will have delighted his manager. Young Dutchman Tim Janssen got his first official goals for the club, and left the La Bocca faithful with the promise of many more. At the back Shereni, Diawara and Mohellebi were imperious, and Padovani had little to do -other than to pick the ball out of the net after only five minutes...

And so after their first three games in Ligue 2, Cannes lie third with seven points. Angers and Niort are both on nine with three wins out of three.

Solid start for the 'rouges-et-blancs' despite the potential trapfalls of their early league schedule. Confidence is high at La Bocca, and the new players seem to be fitting in very well. It was hinted during the post-match press conference that another player or two might be brought in to strengthen the squad, and a persistent rumour has it that another Slavic striker is on the cards. With the end of the transfer window fast approaching, it should soon be obvious whether there is any truth in this.

Raptor

Here's to the new season :guinness:

retired_confal2

[homer] mmmmm....guinness...... [/homer]


Diary entry (source: David Le Spliff's personal diary) -entry dated 26th August 2004.

At last some respite from the heat of the day. In the late evenings a slight breeze comes in from the sea, spreading its merciful cooling balm along the lethargic streets and squares of the city. I met Etienne after the late afternoon training session, and we went to our favourite seafront café for a pastis.

Georges, the taciturn owner of the 'Marie-Galante', gave us the usual curt nod as he set out two small glasses and a pitcher of ice-cold water. He filled half of each glass with Ricard, set the bottle down on the counter and nodded again before returning to his crossword. We sat out on the terrace, willing that breeze to lift a little sooner this day, but to little avail. Thankful for the shade provided by the parasol, we discussed the freshest scandals in town and Etienne was in fine form, giving me the low-down on what the Petit Rapporteur had been able to unearth in the last few weeks. Political corruption, internal feuds dividing the ranks of one of the most powerful families in the region, the Albini. And then something that suddenly made me feel the cold I had so craved a minute earlier.

"Did you hear about the body they found yesterday?" he asked me after a meditative pause in our conversation -well, in his monologue anyway.

"No. What about it?"

"It was a gendarme. A local one." I instantly became alert, adrenaline flushing out the torpor which the pastis had been inducing. Etienne was watching me closely. When I said nothing, he added: "Stéphane Bertuzzi, sous-lieutenant and brother of the captain in command of the Saint-Paul gendarmerie." After another pause: "You've met him, haven't you?"

"I have, yes. When one of our players was assaulted. You remember that."

"I do. Strange business. And nothing ever came out of that, did it?"

"No. They found nothing." Not strictly true, of course. Someone
had found something out, else why the sudden appearance of Giacomelli, and now the sudden disappearance of the younger of the Bertuzzi brothers? I needed to think, and badly...

I didn't want to alarm Etienne, so I stayed on for another while and eventually the alcohol generated serious hunger. We ambled over to Marco's, and after some excellent pasta we wrapped up the evening with a couple of smokes at my place, then Etienne left and I began to wonder how long it would be before Giacomelli or the remaining Bertuzzi brother contacted me again.

The phone did ring, about half an hour ago, but that was Big Mike with the day's best piece of news. We'd been negotiating with Litex Lovech, a Bulgarian club, to acquire their under-21 international striker, Anatoli Todorov. He is one of the players whose agent approached me in Portugal when I was with Uncle Bébert, and Jean Varraud who went over to assess him says we're on to a real gem here. Lovech had held out for the past week or so, but Big Mike says we've finally had an offer accepted, and that he's in talks with the player and his agent as I'm writing this. This will be the last major addition to our squad, and I'm looking forward to finding out what the lad is really worth. And at least the day ended on a positive note...

retired_confal2

Transcript of recording from surveillance equipment (source: Organised Crime Unit, Criminal Investigations Unit, DAT audio file no. KH/1584-4, recording dated 27th August 2004, 21:55 local time).

Attached note reads: "No visuals available. Unidentified voices numbered, with accompanying inferences where appropriate. Conversation recorded at the 'Le Belphégore' restaurant in Cannes". (signed: Detective Inspector Bruno Galdéani, OCU)


(...)

Voice One*: So good to see you again, hermáno. You look well.

Albert 'Bébert' Labourdette: Thank you. It's good to see you too, cabrón!

(laughter)

Voice One: How was the trip?

Albert 'Bébert' Labourdette: Excellent. Everything went as it was supposed to. You heard the announcement, earlier today?

Voice One: I did. So there are three now. Do you really think this is going to work, hermáno?

Albert 'Bébert' Labourdette: Do you really still doubt it, my friend? You've seen what could be achieved with just the one. It will require a little patience, to be sure, but so far the venture has been an unqualified success.

Voice One: Please do not misunderstand me. I ask only because I do not trust a single one of those médicos. But I trust you, hermáno, and I trust your judgement of other men. It is settled then.

Albert 'Bébert' Labourdette: Good. And don't worry; I trust them no more than you do, but we have left them in no doubt as to their duty to fulfil their obligations, and they are after all men of truth, if nothing else...

Voice One: Men of truth...I like that...A toast to the eternal and irrepressible curiosity of Man, then. Salúd!

Albert 'Bébert' Labourdette: Salúd!

(clinking of glasses)


*Unidentified male, possibly Bolivian or Peruvian according to our translators. This is the same individual as the one labelled as 'Voice One' in DAT audio files KB/5294-13 and KF/3261-7.

retired_confal2

Team news and game reports (source: football365.fr, Ligue 2 updates).


27th August 2004.

AS Cannes announced the signing of Bulgarian under-21 international Anatoli Todorov (Bul, 19), for an initial fee of around £1.300.000, from Bulgarian club Litex Lovech. Depending on appearances, the fee could rise to £1.500.000.

Cannes' Chilean central defender Jorge Vargas signed for Ligue 2 rivals Créteil for £300.000


28th August 2004, Stade Dominique Duvauchelle, (att. 8732).
US Créteil 1, AS Cannes 7.

4. Plessis' shot from 25 yards is deflected by Rangdet past his own keeper. 0-1.

10. A corner sent in from the left by Plessis is met by Tsigalko's header at the near post, leaving goalkeeper Porato stranded on his line. 0-2.

16. Superb passing move, which sees Moustaïd play Toledo into the box from the right flank. Perfect cut-back from the byline for Todorov, who volleys home from eight yards to score on his début. 0-3.

51. After a free-kick sails over everyone, Diawara crosses back in from the right. Porato punches the ball away but it bounces right back off Théophile and into the empty net for a freakish goal. 0-4.

67. Moustaïd wins the ball back and runs 50 yards into the opposing penalty area before shooting from twelve yards. Porato makes a great save, but the ball bounces back off the post and Todorov is on hand to sidefoot home his second of the game. 0-5.

72. Nicaise plays a great through-ball for Becanovic, who runs into the box from the left and adjusts Padovani with a fine finish into the bottom left-hand corner. 1-5.

81. Diawara chips the ball into the box from the right wing towards Moustaïd, who beats the onrushing keeper from a tight angle. 1-6.

87. Long throw-in by Diawara, into the penalty area from the right touchline. Moustaïd has time to chest it down, beat his marker and send a low driven ball across the goal. Tsigalko throws himself at the far post and gets the decisive touch. 1-7.


A very one-sided game, from beginning to end. Créteil just couldn't cope with Cannes' forwards, and it was an excellent début for Todorov, who scored two and looked threatening throughout. Moustaïd, Plessis and Shereni also put in excellent performances.

With this impressive win, Cannes are making a clear statement concerning their ambitions, despite manager Le Spliff's predictable attempt to play down the significance of the result in his post-match conference with the local press.

Cannes still lay third after the game, tucked in just behind Angers and Niort, and having scored an impressive 15 goals in their 4 league games.


30th August 2004.

AS Cannes signed versatile young Greek defender Panagiotis Lagos (Gre, 19) on a free transfer. The player was unattached, and is currently involved in the Olympic Games with Greece's squad. He joins goalkeeper Chaigneau and midfielder Mohammed as the third Cannes player involved in the competition in Athens.


31st August 2004.

Jean-Yves Chay (Fra, 56) was signed as general outfield coach by Cannes. Chay was unemployed.

AS Cannes have appointed Stéphane Pingeon (Fra, 52) as their new assistant manager. Pingeon was unemployed. His appointment also sees current assistant manager Gabriel Desmenez sign a new contract as coach.



[End of the transfer window]

retired_tonytranbg79

Great start to the season, hope it continues. Todorov is a very good player and should bag you even more goals.

retired_iieirs

Nice little 'chise you got going on here. Easily the best one I've read, and the only one I've enjoyed. Granted, I've only read 3 (this, Ragusa to riches, and that Celtic one), and I've only been here a little while... but still, it's great stuff. Here's hoping the next year won't take... well, a year to finish.

retired_confal2

Thanks Tyrone, I hope so too and I think that barring a spate of injuries to important players, the squad should be good enough to achieve the board's 'controversial' expectation of a promotion spot.

Cheers Icon, glad you enjoyed the read. There are some good stories out there, but at the moment the 'one-post boasters' (usually ending with things like 'let me no wot u think' and other text-speak inanities) seem to be drowning them out...


Diary entry (source: David Le Spliff's personal diary) -entry dated 1st September 2004.

Just out of my weekly meeting with Big Mike and the other board members, and if the mood is high on the training ground, it is positively jubilant amongst the executives. The transformation of the club's internal structure is proceeding apace, most notably in the financial and administrative areas where several new posts have been created. This is not only a result of the rise in the club's status, but a step taken to accelerate the process of Ligue 1 readiness and make the future transition as smooth as possible.

I've never been one to figure out men in suits -or women, for that matter. But I just wonder whether Big Mike and his acolytes aren't indulging in an excess of confidence, which might unbalance the club should we fail to make things happen on the pitch this year. Obviously the squad is full of quality, but half the first team players are twenty years old or younger, and the Ligue 2 campaign is a contest in which physical endurance and experience of professional football are crucial to success.

Still, given the way we tore Créteil to pieces in our last game, I'd say very few teams are going to find it easy to take points off us. None of the new players seem to have any trouble settling, and the reshuffle in coaching staff allows for more coherent training shedules; Gabriel [Desmenez] now focuses on his role as the first team head coach, whilst Stéphane [Pingeon] runs the under-18 squad and oversees youth development.

In the little time I've spent with him, Stéphane seems a very serious and down-to-earth individual. He spent a season as assistant manager at Lorient, but resigned because his wife and children were unhappy in Brittany, and moved back to his native region of the Var. It was Gabriel who suggested we approach him, as he himself was keen to delegate part of his duties to someone who knew how to handle teenagers. Frankly, I can't say I blame him, and I hope that in Stéphane we have found someone who can get the best out of our youngsters.

Last Saturday, the same day we atomised Créteil, the French team won the gold medal in the Olympic Games in Athens, beating Italy 3-2 in a thrilling final. Unfortunately, our goalkeeper Florent Chaigneau didn't play in any of the games, but I'm glad he was given the opportunity to be part of a winning group of players, and I've no doubt he'll be keen to carry over the international success to our club setting. Most of all, I'm glad he will now be able to make his official début for us, next week-end when we face Valence at La Bocca. Jean-Michel Padovani has covered for him very competently in the first few games, but he understands full well that Florent's return to the squad is synonymous with his own return to the bench.

Anyway, A Clockwork Orange is on the telly tonight, and that little carved box sitting on my coffee table is just screaming for attention...

retired_iieirs

Yeah, I've just discovered another. Jeff Bland's Japanese Adventure seems to be promising. Though, not nearly as good as this.

*Takes lips off ass*