As far as testimonies go, few come more complimentary for Jean-Claude Blanc than the words of Nice CEO Fabrice Boquet.
'He is a bit like the Lionel Messi of sports business,' he told L'Equipe.
'It is not only a question of expertise but of interpersonal skills. He brings his vision, his network, his calm, his experience.'
'Stoic' is a word that sticks to Blanc, a character that can, at times, be too 'deferential' but is one that has a track record of inheriting messy situations and delivering greatness.
'He is extremely competent and he embodies everything I like on a human level, with real values,' Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivère once said.