“Like leaving your parents’ house”, “everyone is at fault”: the confidences of Nantais Nicolas Cozza before the reunion with the MHSC

Après une année compliquée à Wolfsburg, Cozza vit à 25 ans “une renaissance” à Nantes, où il est prêté depuis février dernier. MAXPPP – Franck Dubray

Le défenseur Nicolas Cozza retrouve la Mosson avec Nantes, vendredi 26 avril (21 h). Une première depuis son départ du MHSC, sur lequel il revient un an après avoir choisi l'Allemagne et Wolfsburg.

The FC Nantes press officer was categorical. Nicolas Cozza did not hesitate for a second when accepting Midi Libre's interview request. Before returning to Mosson and MHSC, this time in the shoes of the opponent, the defender had a lot to say. Also to be explained, fifteen months after a departure which could have raised questions on the part of a player viscerally attached to La Paillade. Viganais, trained in Montpellier before winning the 2017 Gambardella Cup there while becoming a professional there the same year, Cozza finally chose Wolfsburg and Germany. The experience proved difficult. At 25, he experienced "a rebirth" in Nantes. Which he hopes to extend on Friday at La Mosson. "At home", he said.   

This Friday, you are preparing to return to Montpellier 15 months after leaving it. Apprehend yourself ?

No, it’s not apprehension about finding the house. It’s always a pleasure even if it will be a little weird since it will be with an opposing team. But seeing all the former teammates, the staff, the managers, the Butte Paillade… All of this makes this match special.

There is a kind of nostalgia?

Yes, it reminds me of my early career. Montpellier is the club where I played for more than ten years. Obviously that does something.

Your last appearance at Mosson was a match against Nantes (0-3), on January 15, 2023…

But no! I didn't remember it at all.

A few days later, you left the MHSC, which had offered you an extension since September. Why ?

It’was a bit of a time to look elsewhere, I had visited Montpellier. For my personal development, my career, it was the right time. Wolfsburg arrived, it seemed the right “step” to move to the next level. It happened quite naturally.

Your training club, that of your grandfather, first captain of La Paillade: was the decision hard to make?

Obviously, to say that that's it, I left Montpellier, the place where I was born, where I grew up, evolved… hellip; It’s like leaving your parents’ house. We emancipate ourselves, we try adventure.

I didn't want to leave at the end of my contract (in June 2023) being free, not allowing the club to collect some money. It was quite a complicated situation

Some voices have accused you of leaving the ship at a difficult time (15th) when you had declared that you saw yourself there "all your life". How did you take it??

Frankly, I didn't listen too much, I made my choices. If in football you start listening to criticism, you can't move forward.

There was also a timing issue: I didn't want to leave at the end of my contract (in June 2023) while being free, by not allowing the club to collect a little money. rsquo;money. It was quite a complicated situation.

Everyone is at fault, the club and me. To want to extend a player from your training center with an offer later than September, in his last year, there was a mistake at this level. I must have done some too, probably even. Unfortunately, we reached a point where I had to leave. It didn’t happen as I would have hoped. I would have liked people to understand my choices, to avoid these criticisms. That’s how it is, that’s life.

President Laurent Nicollin regretted the way it happened…

(He cuts) I too regret this ending, because I didn't leave through the right door, rather through the small one. But we don’t blame each other with Laurent.

Laurent (Nicollin) will remain my president, I will always call him “my president’”

I met him again last summer in a straw hut, we kissed and we were happy to see each other again. Laurent will remain my president, I will always call him “my president’”.

At Wolfsburg, your playing time was never up to par (3 starts in 2023). What went wrong?

I was simply not trusted. When you only have three starts in six months or more, when you don't play two or three matches in a row , it’s complicated to see if the player has the potential or not. I had more than a hundred matches in Ligue 1 (112 with the MHSC, Editor's note) and I arrived in the Bundesliga as if I knew nothing. However, it is a league like any other, it is not the Premier League either. I never found a rhythm to impose myself and I think that we never wanted to impose myself.

Do you feel like you have suffered from internal problems?

Considering the current situation of Wolfsburg (13th in the Bundesliga), I think there have been a lot of internal problems. The coach left (Niko Kovac replaced by Ralph Hasenhüttl, Editor's note), the sports director with whom I arrived became president then was fired (Jörg Schmadtke, now at Liverpool, Editor's note). There was a lot of upheaval, new players with preferences in certain positions. You are no longer part of the organization, we no longer count on you, you did not arrive with the right person, so you are no longer in the plans.

In Germany, I learned a lot about myself. I have gained in maturity

Do you regret this choice?

No, because it’s an experience that taught me a lot on a personal and football level. Wolfsburg remains a team that normally plays at the top of the table with players trained for it. Training alongside them, with physical, technical and mental demands, makes you progress enormously. Thanks to my time there, I am no longer the same player as in Montpellier, I gained a lot of experience there. And personally, being abroad, confronting another language, culture, it was hard at first but after a few months I learned a lot about myself. I have gained maturity.

You are loaned without a purchase option. So you will return to Germany next June. With a feeling of revenge ?

If I go back, it's to impose myself. Now there is new management, a new coach who doesn't know me. I don’t know what their state of mind will be. I hope they will be clear with me. There will be discussion.

Nantes arrived when I needed it most

On February 1, 2024, you were loaned to Nantes without a purchase option. Was this opportunity a lifesaver ?

We can't describe it better. Nantes arrived when I needed it most.

Despite the change of coach in mid-March (Antoine Kombouaré replaced Jocelyn Gourvennec), you continue with the Canaries (7 starts in 10 matches)…

It’s a rebirth (smile). I am happy, fulfilled, I play football, I enjoy myself even if the situation is difficult in the standings. I am very grateful to this club for relaunching me.

We know your character. With Kombouaré, find a trainer who suits you?

He was a central defender, it’s clear that it fits with my state of mind. He's looking for men with grinta, who don't play on tiptoe. It reminds me of Der Zakarian, I know they are friends, it’s funny to draw the parallel between the two today.

Precisely, you played four seasons under the orders of Michel Der Zakarian. But in the end, you said in these columns in January 2022, the dialogue was "totally broken". Is there a form of resentment ?

It was complicated to live with when I was no longer playing, of course, when there was nothing left. But these are experiences that make you grow, make you learn about yourself, how to handle such situations. There are no hard feelings against him or his staff.

Michel Der Zakarian had to make choices, I probably wasn't ready mentally or physically, even if we always want to play

I worked with them for almost five years, I played a lot of matches under his orders. I remember the one against Nîmes at La Mosson (3-0, in 2018), one of the most beautiful of my career on an emotional level. I have good memories. He had to make choices, I probably wasn't ready mentally or physically, even if we always want to play. You have to know how to question yourself and not blame others.

During your years in Montpellier, the debate about your positioning – axis or left lateral – constantly posed itself. Today, are you definitely a left back?

In Montpellier, I played in all positions, right central, left, left side… I had the hat of the player who can do everything. But in the end, I wasn't working on a specific position and I wasn't progressing as I should. To reach the very high level, central defender would have been complicated due to my size facing taller, stronger, faster attackers. Then in the French youth team, I played a lot on the side.

At some point, we had to settle down. I made this choice of left back. Today, I am happy and proud to play there, I worked on all the weak points that we saw in Montpellier because I rarely played. Now, this is my position and it will remain so until the end of my career.

In Nantes, there is also Florent Mollet as ex-Montpellier. Exchange on the MHSC ?

I watch all the Montpellier matches, as if I were still there. It will always be my favorite club. With Flo, from time to time, we remember Montpellier, we laugh, we remember training (laughs).

Joris (Chotard) will have to make choices now. I hope he makes the right ones

In 2019, you saw Joris Chotard join the professionals. Five years later, are you amazed by its evolution ?

I'm happy for him. Joris, he’s my friend. I'm not surprised he's where he is. He is still the indisputable holder. He will have to make choices now. I hope he makes the right ones. And I hope that he will continue to delight us on the pitch and that he will score more goals because he doesn’t score enough (laughing). He only wore one but it was beautiful, it must be said (smile).

Nantes is not saved. And his schedule (Brest, Lille then Monaco) is up. Do you play the season at Mosson ?

We know that Montpellier is a “direct competitor” even if he took a big step towards maintaining it. But we have four finals left, and Montpellier is one of them. It’s an exciting end to the season.

You know this MHSC by heart then. What do you say to your Nantes teammates before the match??

No more than usual, it will be a match like any other. In my head, I'm playing against Montpellier but once on the pitch, it will no longer be MHSC facing me. We'll have to go there, be 100%.

A team like any other unless you score.

(Laughing) This remark has already been made to me. But of course I won't celebrate. It would be strange to me, if only to score at La Mosson, it would remind me of the goals I had scored at the time. Even if there weren't many (2 at La Mosson, 5 in total, Editor's note). But I won’t go opposite Butte Paillade, that’s for sure (smile).

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