New coach is in, old coach stays in the picture…

By: Magnusson | September 29th, 2007

Our new coach , Eric Gerets arrived at the Commanderie on thursday morning and was welcomed during a press conference by the President Pape Diouf, José Anigo and…. Albert Emon. The presence of the former coach could have surprised most people but Pape Diouf declared earlier that day how the choice to pick a new coach was his decision alone and how he didn’t want to reduce Albert Emon’s fifteen months at the helm of the team to the last six games. He did propose to the man, who entered the club in the late sixties as a striker, to remain at the club and get a position in sports operations. Albert Emon accepted and said he would gladly be there at the service of the new coach, who apparently goes by “the Lion of Rekem” because of his ability to use his vocal chords during halftime breaks.
Eric Gerets decided to come alone, without any staff of his own and will be watching every single game this season and decided to meet each player individually before directing his first workout this morning. It ahs been revealed now that Bruno Metsu had never been contacted, the two only coaches called being Didier Deschamps and Eric Gerets. The latter even revealing that Marseille contacted him after Jeannot Fernandez’s surprise departure and before ultimately giving the coaching job to Albert Emon last season. Pape Diouf confirmed the negociations were advanced when Galatasaray refused to let him go. It seems the second time was the charm as Gerets had left his job in Turkey in the meantime and was waiting in his farm for the phone to ring. When the olympian staff called him again on monday morning, Gerets said he was thrilled with the idea of coming to a club that showed interest before and whose project and communication he was genuinely drawn to. As for those still curious as to why Didier Deschamps never came, Pape Diouf made it seem like the salary was the main problem this time and not Jose Anigo’s implication with the team as it was relayed by various media. Yeah right!
Now a lot of people in Marseille, let’s call them optimists, have highlighted the fact that the last time Marseille fired a coach at the beginning of the season and hired a belgian manager, the club won the UEFA Champions League (at the time, it was Jeannot Fernandez that got the boot and being replaced by legendary coach Raymond Goethals). Even I don’t believe this will happen. But Gerets’ reputaion for adaptability and the fact that he won championships in three different countries may be interesting and may help us get back into a European compettion next year, which is still the objective of the club. Another theory is saying thazt the last time we were qualified in the Champions League and fired our coach (Alain Perrin) we went to the final of the UEFA Cup the same season (that was the Drogba season, 2003/2004).