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Thanks jgflg, you're right about the paragraphs, I realized that too late...


Diary entry (Source: David Le Spliff's personal diary) - dated 15th June 2003.

First proper day dat the club. Got there an hour before training was due to start, which gave me some time to meet the other staff, to get a feel for the place and sample Bernadette's (very fine) coffee before being introduced to the players as they trickled in.

Aside from Bernadette and the irrepressible Big Mike, no-one displayed any overt friendliness. The others' reactions ranged from wariness to plain distrust to thinly-veiled contempt, and I was glad when the chairman hustled everyone towards the changing-rooms. From then on I just ignored the sullen or curious stares, and began to make mental notes of everything I saw.

I spent most of the training session watching Charly (Loubet) and Pascal (Favre) lead the proceedings, with Big Mike insisting on standing next to me through most of it, jabbering away about this or that player, about some of the previous season's games, about the fans -in fact, I learnt more by just letting all the babble sink in than I did by reading about the club in my own time, and our chairman seems to possess a keen footballing mind, somewhat offset by his rounded appearance and chain-smoking of expensive Cuban cigars...

Later on I settled into my new office, where several typed pages awaited my perusal on the desk - a list of players currently out of work and looking for a club, many of whom I was shocked to recognise as they had at some time been full internationals, or at least established club players at a much better level than our current one. For once Big Mike was nowhere to be found, so I decided I'd sak where the list had come from some other time. Instead I got on the phone and made some calls...

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And now for some 'proper football stuff'...

Website feature (Source: Football365.fr - AS Cannes team report)


15.06.03

Amadou M'Bodji and Wilfried Niflore, both at the club on loan, are returned to Marseille and Toulouse respectively.

Former Chilean international Jorge Vargas (SW/D C, 27) signs on a free transfer. He was capped eight times and is a former Reggina (ITA) player.

Nigerian attacking midfielder Garba Lawal (AM L/C, 29) joins Cannes on a free transfer. He played several years at Roda JC (HOL) and was capped thirty-five times for his country.

Uruguayan forward Federico Magallanes (F C, 26), once considered one of the brightest prospects of his generation in South America, signs on a free transfer. He vows to relaunch his career and put an end to his club-trotting days, which saw him play for eight clubs in eight years and dragged his career deeper and deeper into mediocrity.


16.06.03

Jean Dika (D C, 24) joins Cannes on a free transfer. He has lingered in the Atletico Madrid reserves for some time, and needs competitive playing time if he is going to push for a place in the Cameroon national squad.

Laurent Charvet (D R/C, 30) returns to Cannes on a free transfer. Formed at La Bocca, he was part of the Zidane generation in the club's youth teams, and spent several years in the English Premiership as a dependable squad player.

Russian goalkeeper Alexandr Filimonov (GK, 29) joins on a free transfer. Once Spartak's first choice, this eccentric performer was capped eight times at full international level.


17.06.03

Djibril Diawara (D/DM R/C, 28) signs on a free transfer. Quick and strong, very good in the air, this all-purpose defender played for Monaco and Torino but never really established himself in either team.

Nigerian former international Mutiu (F R/C, 32) and precocious midfielder Suleiman Mohammed (DM C, 19), both of whom have the same agent as their compatriot Garba Lawal, triple the size of the Nigerian community at AS Cannes. The two players signed on a free transfer as they were out of contract.

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18.06.03

Peter Beardsley, former England winger and striker, has joined AS Cannes and will assume the position of technical skills’ coach.
Bruno Rohart signed from Wasquehal as general outfield coach.
Youssef Moustaïd (AM R/L/C, FRA, 26) signs on a free transfer.

19.06.03

Grégory Béranger signs for Pau for 5.000 £.
Cyril Guyot joins Amiens for 30.000 £.

20.06.03

David Bettoni announces he will retire at the end of the season.

22.06.03

Nenad Stojkovic leaves AS Cannes to become Guingamp’s assistant manager.
Fabien Valéri is transferred to Reims for 20.000 £.

23.06.03

Laurent De Palmas returns to his previous club Nîmes, for a fee of 50.000 £.
Janick Tamazout signs for Mulhouse for 50.000 £.

28.06.03

Manu Nogueira announces he’ll put an end to his playing career at the end of the season.



Scheduled Friendlies:

30/6 – away vs. Bastia
7/7 – home vs. Olympique de Marseille
19/7 – beginning of tour in Serbia, first game away vs. Vojvodina
23/7 – away vs. Red Star Belgrade
27/7 – away vs. OFK Belgrade, final game of tour.

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Diary entry (Source: David Le Spliff’s personal diary) – dated 28th June 2003.

So little time to keep track of things these days…It’s been a very tiring two weeks, and in the beginning I came very close to packing it all in, so vociferous was the fans’ opposition to my appointment as manager. It helped that I don’t drive, as the first couple of evenings there was a ‘delegation’ waiting for me outside the club gates, and Christian Lopez had to bundle me out in his Renault Mégane. Curiously enough, no-one thought to look for me in the town’s hotels, and I wasn’t bothered much beyond a few glares and the odd muttered threat in a café. I think that even amongst the fans few were able to recognize me in the street, and Big Mike had seen to it that no photographs were published, that any interviews were given exclusively to radio stations, and that the first week of training sessions took place behind closed doors, or closed gates rather…

Then I began to meet representatives of the supporters’ clubs, and within a few days the notion of teaching me a good lesson seemed to fade from their minds –I think downplaying my role at the club went down well, as Christian Lopez is probably the most respected person around here, and he was happy to pretend he was assuming a more hands-on role with regards to matters on the pitch. I was surprised to find out that some of the players were actually enjoying the sessions more than they had in the past, and I’ve tried to lessen the barrier between the first team and the young hopefuls, which has relaxed the atmosphere somewhat.

This is not to say, of course, that all is well at AS Cannes, but so far the recruitment’s been far easier than I expected –amazing how many decent players are desperate for a job these days…I had a little help from Oncle Bébert, too, but more about that in a moment…We’ve set up some friendlies against superior opposition, and I honestly think we can do ourselves credit before the season starts –I’m particularly looking forward to our home friendly against the club I have always supported, Olympique de Marseille; their chairman Christophe Bouchet was very friendly on the phone, and I was on cloud nine for the next few days, planning what should be a very instructive tour of Serbia –my first real opportunity to find out what the players are like as people, and how they get on with each other. I’m also just plain glad to be going back there, and hope I’ll be able to spare a little time for myself and visit some friends.

Last week I had dinner with Bébert, the first time I’d seen him, or even spoken to him, since I’d arrived in Cannes. Obviously he has all kinds of connections, on several continents, and I’ve had many players’ agents contact me, some of whom quite frankly I would have thought were far too good to play in the National, or even possibly in the Deuxième Division. So now the club finds itself with several former or current internationals on its books, and no matter how hard I press, Bébert will not tell me why these players are so keen to play at Cannes, when their ability could easily get them a contract at a far bigger club. Not that I’m complaining or anything, but I just hope there’s nothing illegal involved, or at least nothing that could bring the club crashing down like an ill-conceived house of cards…

-“There’s nothing to worry about, David. You have my word on this. Do not ask me again.” I didn’t. Instead I swallowed, hard, because that glint in his eye was not religious fervour. It was much more dangerous than that, however improbable such an assertion might seem…

Anyway, I’m too busy with all the day-to-day stuff to worry much about it, and so tired at the end of every day that I usually conk out after a hot bath and a couple of joints, sometimes with a book but most evenings I can’t even focus on the words, far less on what they mean. As is beginning to be the case right now….A nice big fat one, and off to bed…

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Game Report (Source: AS Cannes fanzine, 'Bocca Vera')

Bastia, 30th June 2003.

SC Bastia 1 (Née 12)
AS Cannes 1 (Inkango 46)

It is always difficult to draw meaningful conclusions from the ealiest of the pre-season friendlies, yet the overall impression given by this new-look Cannes side is a good one. In the end a draw seemed a logical result in a tight, defensive-minded game. This solid performance augurs well for the future, and the fact that Bastia -far superior on paper- were only allowed three attempts on goal will have been particularly pleasing to new manager David Le Spliff, whose appointment had shocked so many of us.

Bastia opened the score through Née after he slotted in the rebound from a superb strike by Ben Saada, which had bounced back off the crossbar into the grateful forward's feet. At the pause the Corsicans were still ahead, but one minute into the second half Cannes struck back through Bruce Inkango. The pacy young striker cooly curled it around Penneteau after Marsiglia had played him through.

On the whole Cannes had the better chances, and seemed physically fresher. Some of the club's faithful were even heard to comment that, after all, this young unknown who now directed the team could hardly do any worse than some of the clowns who'd been appointed in recent years.

We shall see.

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Website feature (Source: Football365.fr - AS Cannes team report)


2.7.2003

Spanish veteran full-back Victor Torres Mestre (D L, 32) joins AS Cannes on a free transfer.
Michel Rodriguez signs for Troyes for a fee of 100.000 £.


3.7.2003

Young Dutch midfielder Urby Emanuelson (M C, 17) signs for Cannes on a free transfer.


4.7.2003

Mickaël Marsiglia joins Lyon for 500.000 £.


5.7.2003

Young Brazilian winger Toledo (AM/F R/C, 21) leaves Catanzaro for AS Cannes, despite the interest of giants Lazio and Corinthians. The fee is an initial 400.000 £, and is to reach a total of 750.000 £ in the event the player should make an international appearance.


7.7.2003

Bookmakers announced their odds for promotion from the French National this season, placing Beauvais, Cannes and Valenciennes as favourites on even odds. Wasquehal and Reims were given 5/4, and Nîmes 6/4.

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Website feature (Source: Football365.fr – AS Cannes team news, July 2003)


Friendlies:


7.7.2003, Cannes.
AS Cannes 0, Olympique de Marseille 1.
Goals: Meriem (45, 0-1).

19.7.2003, Pre-season tour of Serbia.
Vojvodina 3, AS Cannes 1.
Goals: Djordjevic (41, 1-0; 56, 2-0), Ostojic (86, 3-0), Toledo (90, 3-1).

23.7.2003, Pre-season tour of Serbia.
Red Star Belgrade 2, AS Cannes 1.
Goals: Toledo (16, 0-1), Mladenovic (67, 1-1), Kovacevic (85, 2-1).

27.7.2003, Pre-season tour of Serbia.
OFK Belgrade 4, AS Cannes 3.
Goals: Kovacevic (45, 1-0; 58, 2-1), Diawara (52, 1-1), Boskovic (76, 3-1), Ilic (82, 4-1), Lawal (pen 89, 4-2), Zoko (90+2, 4-3).


Team News:

16.7.2003
Badr El Kadouri (AM L, Mor, 22) is loaned by Dinamo Kiev to AS Cannes for the rest of the season.
Laurent Mohellebi (DM L/C, Fra, 19) joins AS Cannes on loan from AS Monaco, for the length of the season.

22.7.2003
Christophe Dessy (Bel, 37) signed by AS Cannes as a goalkeeping coach.
René Bocchi (Fra, 52) joins Cannes as general outfield coach.
Pascal Faure is sacked as coach.
Patricio Videira joins Istres for 10.000 £.

23.7.2003
Sylvain Bied joins AS Cannes as goalkeeping coach.

25.7.2003
Yvon Schmitt (Fra, 51) signs on a free transfer and is assigned to general outfield coaching duties.

26.7.2003
Eric Lefebvre (Fra, 53) appointed as fitness coach by AS Cannes.
Francis Tisiot sacked as coach.

29.7.2003
Franck N’Dioro signed as outfield coach.

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Press article (Source: France Football, 30th July 2003).


“Quiet revolution on the Croisette*”, by Thierry Génovèse.

There’s a strong wind blowing at La Bocca, and it isn’t the mistral**. Many eyebrows were raised at the announcement that a twenty-nine year-old unknown had been appointed as the new Cannes manager, but there are signs already that the club is being steered into a new course, one which seems characterized by opportunistic recruitment and pragmatic finance, a method well-suited to the current climate of uncertainty with which professional players have had to cope.

Indeed, one may wonder what the likes of Aleksandr Filimonov, Garba Lawal, Jorge Vargas or Victor Torres Mestre are doing in the National, where the fans are much more used to watching semi-retired veterans and hopeful rejects from the so-called ‘élite’. More surprising still, Federico Magallanes and Brazilian winger Toledo have signed contracts with the club, when either of them could have elected to play for far bigger clubs than Cannes.

Watching a training session at La Bocca, it is easier to understand why; there is none of the paternalist, disciplinarian rhetoric one is so used to hearing on training grounds up and down the country. From the executive staff to the coaches to the players, there seems to exist an unbroken chain of reciprocity and consideration, a tacit agreement on the necessity of cohesion and unity within the ranks.

Though he displayed some apprehension at first, new manager David Le Spliff agreed to give a few comments after the training session. Regarding the new signings:

- “I’m as surprised as everyone else is. More pleasantly so, no doubt…” . This was followed by a message to the club’s followers, who have expressed on several occasions their scepticism concerning Le Spliff’s competence as a manager, and have pointed out in particular the glaring absence of any previous experience in a similar position:

- “I ask only one thing of the fans; that they judge me by their results. It seems to me the team’s overall performance in the pre-season friendlies ought to raise a few hopes. I realize that expectations are high, as we’ve been mentioned amongst the favourites for promotion, yet I am convinced the team has what it takes to fulfil this aim. By October we should be able to tell whether the mayonnaise is blending properly.”

Again the response was a departure from the conventional ‘footspeak’, which so many of the game’s actors feel compelled to employ when addressing the press. It appears that Cannes are experimenting with a new approach to the combination of youth and experience, both within the first team and in the way the entire squad is involved in the formulation of the club’s objectives, and the devising of a methodology to help attain them. Every player is encouraged to provide his own input on how he might best progress, and to help define a clear role for himself within the structure of the squad. If this were not a football club one might see this as an exercise in unadulterated socialism, centred upon the notion of the collective as the embodiment of the noblest aspirations of the individuals who constitute it.

Certainly the diversity of nationalities and languages does not seem to hinder communication at the club, and Le Spliff maintains this is much more of an advantage than a hindrance:

- “The players learn from each other the different mentalities and features of the football culture from which they were issued. Africans, South Americans, Europeans –all constantly trying to perfect their approach to the game, to add to the depth of their tactical knowledge. The coaches and I all agree that the outcome of any given game is determined to a significant extent by what goes on in the players’ heads, and by the quality of the analysis provided by what we call the ‘footballer’s lobe’. Hopefully the theory will be borne out by the results in our first few competitive games…”.

With the National season starting under a week from now, we should be given some indication of whether this is the case, and whether AS Cannes are able to stake their claim for a place among the leaders of this ill-assorted pack. Have you exercised your ‘footballer’s lobe’ today?…


(author’s notes)

*The Croisette is the famous promenade that runs along the Mediterranean seafront in Cannes, usually associated in people’s minds with the international film festival and other jet-setting absurdities…

**Strong Mediterranean wind blowing from inland out to sea.

retired_gopanthers15

Good stuff so far :thup:

retired_vikkylj

Great stuff OMDave. I like the amount of detail you are getting into the articles and diary entries. KUTGW