A few years ago, when Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi was playing for Paris FC, a Corsican flag flew at each match in the stands of Charléty.
The presence since 2012 of Pierre Ferracci, native of Ajaccio, as president and majority shareholder has made Paris FC the most Corsican club on the continent in L2.
There are many links with the Isle of Beauty.
Thierry Laurey also trained in Corsica for three years (2013-2016) at Gazélec Ajaccio, which he brought up to L1.
Paris FC also has a Corsican player, defender Thibault Campanini (currently injured) in its workforce.
If his "club of heart" remains Gazélec Ajaccio, Pierre Ferracci, like all Corsicans, vibrated in front of the epic of SC Bastia during the 1978 UEFA Cup (finalist) or during the victory in the Coupe de France in 1981. The president of the PFC with the thick address book, is close to certain political and economic circles in Corsica. Frequently asked to invest in an island club, he has however always politely declined and preferred to develop the project of a second major Parisian club. "If I can help and put people in touch, I do it, but getting involved personally in Corsica has never been possible, mainly for professional reasons", specifies the boss of the Alpha group.
"I consider that to support and develop a project, you have to be a minimum present on a daily basis," he continues.
With my group which occupied me a lot of time, I did not have the possibility of coming regularly to Corsica, except for weekends and holidays in my free time.
Today, it would have been easier because I am gradually distancing myself from the Alpha Group (
Editor's note: it will definitely pass the baton by 2024).
But I am now fully engaged with Paris FC.
The Parisian project hooked me from the start, even if it is difficult, it is fascinating.
"
In 2017, Paris FC was drafted in L2 following the bankruptcy of SC Bastia
In July 2017, the Corsican president admitted to having experienced “mixed feelings”. The bankruptcy of SC Bastia and its demotion to N3, had indeed allowed Paris FC, unfortunate barrage against Orléans two months earlier, to be drafted in L2 and start its growth. The SCB has returned from hell to regain professionalism and L2 this season. The two clubs have a close relationship. On two occasions, last March when its National match in Laval was postponed and at the end of October after its trip to Auxerre, the Corsican team was able to train at the Orly facilities, on loan from Paris FC.
“We have very good relations with Claude Ferrandi (the president of Bastia). We discuss and exchange often. Like me when I arrived in this environment, he is learning. He is a supporter of Bastia as we all are, but he is a thoughtful person, who has a sense of reality and who is not going to be overwhelmed by passion. With his brothers, he is a recognized business leader in Corsica and a very good manager. "
Pierre Ferracci has also established relations with Pierre-Noël Luiggi, the other shareholder of Bastia, CEO of Oscaro who has also long been one of the sponsors… of Paris FC. “With Claude Ferrandi, they helped to establish the structure of the club, believes Pierre Ferracci. Succeeding in making exist regional clubs is less easy than before but they started again on the right foot. Their legal structure in cooperative is interesting and deserves that we look at all this with attention and benevolence. "
The president of Paris FC believes that “the common point between (his) club and the Corsican clubs must be the desire to develop training. "" At Paris FC, we must have young people from the Ile-de-France region from our training in the pro team as we are currently showing with the Camara, Hadjam, Diakité and the others who arrive like Kore, continues Pierre Ferracci. It is a question of identity which is also valid for Corsica. The model of the future is investing in training. In Corsica, AC Ajaccio understood this unlike my favorite club Gazélec Ajaccio which I am sorry to see today in N3. SC Bastia must follow the path shown by the ACA. "
Among the Corsican players from Bastia, there is Dumé Guidi, whose uncle Jean-Charles Orsucci, the mayor of Bonifacio who will be in the stands of Charléty, is also close to Pierre Ferracci and his son Marc.
"There are a lot of links around this match but that will not prevent us from trying to beat Bastia", concludes Pierre Ferracci with a smile.
