The LFP Office announced today that the Classico will be played on Friday, November 20th. The original Ligue 1 game that weekend against Sochaux has been pushed back until Wednesday, 12/2. If necessary, OM can request that the Sochaux match be rescheduled for a later date (since they will be preparing to play Real).

Updated Schedule

Here is the new schedule for OM (taken from the official OM website):

Saturday, October 31: OM – Toulouse (L1 – Matchday 12)
Tuesday, November 3: OM – Zurich (Champions League – M4)
Sunday, November 8: Lyon – OM (L1 – Matchday 13)
International: Ireland – France (November 14) and France – Ireland (November 18)
Friday, November 20th: OM – PSG (L1 – Matchday 10)
Wednesday, November 25: AC Milan – OM (Champions League – J5)
Saturday, November 28: Lens – OM (L1 – Matchday 15)
Wednesday, December 2: OM – Sochaux (L1 – Matchday 14)
Saturday, December 5: Nice – OM (L1 – Matchday 16)
Tuesday, December 8: OM – Real Madrid (Champions League – J6)
Saturday, December 12: OM – Boulogne (L1 – Matchday 17)
Wednesday, December 16: Lorient – OM (L1 – Matchday 11)
Saturday, December 19: St Etienne – OM (L1 – Matchday 18)
Wednesday, December 23: OM – Auxerre (L1 – Matchday 19)

Keeping check back for additional updates and requests from OM to reschedule.

The Backstory and Reactions

To catch up on the build-up to this agreement please refer to our earlier posts here and here. But, the good news is that both teams have been able to agree upon a date that allows a Classico match-up this year! The Ligue has agreed to alter the schedule for the future Matchday 14 games (OM vs. Sochaux and PSG vs. Boulogn) and allow those games to be played on Wednesday, December 2 instead of the regular scheduled weekend of November 21/22. However, Marseille may request the Matchday 14 game to be rescheduled again if their match against Real Madrid shapes up to be a decisive match. On that occassion, OM can petition the league to delay the Sochaux match further in order to support the Ligue’s and OM’s success at the European level.

Given the tension and accusations made by OM in the build-up to this meeting, it has ended pretty amicably. The following statements were made after the meeting by the major players involved:

“This is the first possible date,” a statement from the Ligue de Football Professionel read. “It solves the problem of the deferral of this big Ligue 1 fixture.”

On exiting the meeting, Jean-Claude Dassier, president of les Phoceens simply told the press, “The date suits us.”

Meanwhile, Robin Leproux, president of PSG, didn’t pass comment.

While PSG did not comment about the meeting, I’m willing to cut them slack since their press people have undoubtedly been overwhelmed by the barrage of conspiracy theories and accusations over the past week.

Regardless, I’m just happy that a new date is set so that we can put this drama behind us and focus on beating Toulouse this weekend!

The Classico fixture which was suppose to take place yesterday was postponed due to a Swine Flu Infection that has infected at least 5 members of the PSG team and staff, including Jeremy Clement (left), Ludovic Giuly (centre) and defender Mamadou Sakho (right).  For more information see our earlier coverage here and here.  The match, which was originally given the green light, was called off at the last moment by the French authorities.  Cue, Mayhem.  

Now, the drama continues as the two teams can’t agree on when to play the rescheduled game.  OM want to play the game as soon as possible– Wednesday.  Anigo, OM’s Sporting Director, spoke with OM TV and explained that unless the game is played this week, they will argue that the game shouldn’t be played until February.  The November schedule is too tight already with the European fixtures, the Velodrome is unavailable on the open weekends in December since it is being used for the France-New Zealand game (rugby) and OM’s African players will be away on International duty in January.

To accommodate this request, the Ligue will have to make an exception to their rule which requires that games be made up before the winter break.  Deschamp has been vocal about the Ligue needing to provide greater support for teams competing in Europe– asking Marseille to play the game before the Winter break would force them to play 10 games in 31 days.  In an interview with the press, he has also implied that the cancellation of the game was unfair, hinting at an institutional bias in the French’s Federation for the Parisian club and downplaying the threat of the flu.

PSG have remained firm, insisting that they will not play on Wednesday.  PSG will remain in quarantine for 72 hours and won’t even begin training until Wednesday.  They have argued that asking their players to play so quickly without training and recovering from illness is a serious injury risk.

The date of the match won’t be announced until Thursday– so it looks like OM has lost that fight (not surprising considering the quarantine doesn’t expire until Wednesday).

And how do you think the League will rule?  OM seem to be implying that the league should rule in their favor because it is “not their fault”– but is this really PSG’s fault?  Do you think rushing the make-up fixture fair?  Is Deschamps out of line in downplaying the severity of the illness?

From the PSG perspective, this could be the game to end their horrid slump and put them back in the title race. If you talk to Antoine Kombouare, a win might very well save his job. As if the derby itself wasn’t surrounded with enough drama, word is a case of the swine flu had infected the PSG camp. If this is the case, tomorrow’s game could have even been canceled as literally the entire squad was suspect with the sickness. While the game is still planned to go on, players health remains a priority and I certainly hope that the tests results are negative for PSG. Whatever the case may be I expect morale at the PSG camp to be extremely low. With a coach that may or may not be on his way out, injuries, sickness and having to play away from home will not do well for Kombouare’s men. Ultimately Sundays match may prove to be a disappointment in terms of what we expect from these two teams. Certainly we are in form but what kind of PSG will take to the pitch tomorrow? Obviously we want a win, but games like this are all about a sort of close competitiveness a frenzy that literally draws everyone in. Manchester derby anyone? I just dont think PSG right now is up to playing at our level this could be incredibly one sided for us.

Our possible starting eleven Mandanda; Bonnart, Diawara (all reports say he is fit and should make a return tomorrow), Heinze, Taiwo, Valbuena, Cisse, Lucho, Cheyrou, Niang, and Kone. I expect to see a huge game from Niang (as always) but more specifically Lucho. His pace and calmness in the game against Zurich was like an anchor for an otherwise lost midfield. I think he is finally used to his new team and were going to start reaping in the benefits.

For PSG who knows who will be able to play tomorrow. We know that Ludovic Giuly, Stephane Sessegnon, Jeremy Clement and Mamadou Sakho are supposedly healthy but that’s it. Until the results come in for the flu I’m at a loss for who will actually be playing. So we certainly wish their players the best in a speedy recovery. My advice to coach Kombouare is to verse his players in Michael Jordan’s famous flu game. That might lift some spirits.

In the end I think the game will go on as scheduled and that many across France will ultimately be disappointed with it. PSG certainly isn’t healthy or else the thought of canceling the game would have never been mentioned in the first place. For the players sake I certainly hope that they are not forced to play just to please us fans. We all want a great match tomorrow but not at the expense of the players health. Deschamps knows the pressure is not on downplaying the classic right from the start. I’m glad he’s kept his cool and not bought into the hype and drama of all of this it only will put our players at ease.

Prediction
Marseille 2-0 Paris Saint-Germain

Rumor: Some French media outlets are reporting that HBA may leave OM in the winter for England. The destinations being mentioned are Wigan and Tottenham. Apparently, the Spurs, in particular, would like his services. They are citing The Sun as their source, but I couldn’t find an article on their web page to substantiate these rumors (as if The Sun resembles anything close to a credible source).

The only report I can find in the English media that even sounds like this were reports at the very end of the Summer transfer window that HBA might leave on a late deal. No deal ever materialized..

Verdict: I wouldn’t be shocked if HBA leaves in the summer if his playing time doesn’t improve, but I doubt he will leave for England this winter. Frankly, I don’t think he will move to England (he doesn’t like cold weather and he is rather delicate for such a physical league). He has always stated that he prefers La Liga because of its’ emphasis on technique. If he did move to England, I think he would only go to Arsenal. Wenger has always been honest about his high regard for Hatem. When Hatem transferred to OM in 2008, Wenger even said Arsenal would have been interested in purchasing the player had they thought Lyon would seriously consider selling him. Personally, I think Wenger would be a great coach for him– he has historically been able to help moody players transform into magnificent players.

With that being said, it would be a shame for OM to lose such a player. But it’s not really fair to either him or the team (who are paying his high wages) if he is just going to sit on the bench and only play 15 minutes per game. He really wants to succeed at OM, and I think he will at least wait out this year before giving up. Valbuena, on the other hand, I can definitely see him leaving this winter if the right deal came along.

HBA’s name has also been connected to Fiorentina, but those reports are even less credible.

UPDATE: Since writing this post, HBA’s name has come up in the English media. They are citing not only interest from the Spurs and Wigan, but also Manchester United and Arsenal. Both Wenger and Ferguson have been open about their admiration for Hatem (they have tried to recruit him since he was young at Clairefontaine).

The Show had to go on
First off Marseille quietly bid farewell to Karim Ziani who decided very early on that he needed to leave Marseille even though he had an incredible second season. The diminutive Algerian signed with German Champions Wolfsburg last Sunday and left Evian Monday morning. Selling for €7 million, it seems like a fair deal but to think that two seasons ago, we were bullied into buying him for eight. But Ziani was good enough this season for us to let him go without it bothering Didier Deschamps too much. It is no secret that the new manager wants our players in the midfield to be a little more powerful, which is why he’s pursuing players like Lucho and Stephane M’bia.

That brings us to the Lorik Cana case. Didier Deschamps never liked him, that’s no secret. When he arrived, he made it clear that three players were his priority, Steve Mandanda, Taye Taiwo and Mamadou Niang. After negotiating with those three, the Ex-France Captain realized how important Cana had become to the fans and the locker room and started backpedalling, saying to him it was evident that Cana would be staying and that he didn’t feel the need to reinforce that opinion. Sure Didier! Now Cana will leave if an offer strong enough comes our way. The player doesn’t feel appreciate and knows he’ll only be fourth choice in the midfield after Cheyrou, Lucho and M’bia if he comes (more on that later). Lorik Cana has been nothing short of exemplary under Fernandez, Emon and Gerets. So Deschamps letting him go is like him letting go of Valbuena, he’s trying to get rid of the players Gerets was using the most. It’s petty but in an atmosphere where the new President’ only hope is that he doesn’t find his office burned down in the morning, Deschamps is pretty much allowed to do as he pleases, and that wouldnt have happened under Diouf.

Anyway, I’m going to say it here once and for all, no matter how great M’bia is, I watched enough Rennes games and personally met the guy to know that he’s playing for M’bia and that’s it. He doesn’t give a shit about where he plays as long as he’s getting paid. That’s the mercenary mentality I don’t like and that’s why I love Lorik Cana, who was always a guarantee in our lineup. I hope I’m wrong on his one but I think we’re just messing up trying to fix something that’s not broke just yet.

I would also like to give credit to Jose Anigo. We all know how close he grew to like Pape Diouf (after an initial period where the two didn’t trust each other) and even linked his future to his President’s. And after hesitating a long time, it took all of Diouf’s clout to convince the Minot to stay at Marseille. And as much as people love to bash on him, he stayed quiet and will work withg Deschamps, a man he loathes. The truth is that for many people in Marseille, and eve me, Deschamps has been flirting way too close with a period of our history that brought us trophies but also hurt the club so bad I’d rather it never happened (okay, not really but you get my point). Anigo said before Deschamps came in that some people soiled the club and left them (the real Marseillais) the pieces to fix while reaping the benefits of the glorious trophy won in 1993. Anyway, Anigo is the club now. No if’s but’s and maybe’s. Anigo has managed to buy impressive players as he was given a little more leeway. We now know that they started talking with Lucho last season and talked when Argentina came in Marseille to play opposite France in February. So much for the Deschamps juice theory.
Anyways, Anigo managed to sell at a great price players that were not wanted in Marseille anymore, Djibril Cissé (€8.5 million to Galatasaray), Ronald Zubar (€4 million to Wolverhampton), Karim Ziani (7.5 to Wolfsburg), Gaël Givet (€4 million to Blackburn), without taking into account a million from both Bayern Munich and Arsenal who both qualified for the next Champions League. And Samassa will be sold to either Grenoble or Montpellier by the beginning of the season. Add that to the €46 million we received in TV rights, Marseille is in great economical shape, and Anigo is making a hell of a lot of smart moves for someone supposed to be incompetent.

And their ambitions have not gone unnoticed as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the man Karim Benzema is replacing in Madrid stopped by on Thursday to negotiate with our staff for an eventual move to Marseille when everyone had him already signing with Stuttgart. And let’s be clear, this is NOT a rumor, it’s and ACTUAL Information. Huntelaar was in Marseille. Now nothing has filtered from the meetings but we know he went to see the Commanderie training grounds (empty but still) and the stadium. Even if I don’t see Huntelaar succeeding in France, It would be an interesting signing.

A Quiet Funeral on Wednesday

Though his transfer destination does not affect OM on the park at such, it’s repercussions

With a wealth of big-club options at his door, which avenue should Mr Ribery embark on?

1 Follow the trend of recent years and head to the money pile that is aka the English Premier League to sample some Earl Grey (or a trademark Fergie earful if Manchester United was to be the destination), or possibely add to the growing list of former Ligue 1 players at Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea, or may I say – Roman Abramovich’s.

2 Join the Real Madrid circus to mix with football’s who’s who in Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo, Raúl, Casillas; And Most importantly, please Olympique de Marseille fan and current Real Madrid advisor Zinedine Zidane who has made no secret of his desire to see Ribery pull the Los Blancos shirt.

3 Replace Thierry Henry at FC Barcelona. A French-for-French swap. I don’t see Samuel Eto’o leaving despite the recent claims from his agent, and club honchos.

4 Remain at Bayern Munich and allow Louis Van Gaal to mould a new-look team around his play, rather then join a team with an established playing set like FC Barcelona.

5 The wise and safest option: return to Olympique de Marseille and help the club in its bid for European, Ligue 1, French Cup conquest.. and ultimately World domination

All jokes aside.

I strongly believe that a move to Spain would be most advantageous for our friend – and given his style he would fit into the Spanish game like a glove.

A mental depiction of the eloquence that Ribery is known for coupled with the creative flair and power of Kaká and Ronaldo respectively.. . If you disregard the financial pulling power that was required to acquire these names, and the final two season’s of Florentino Perez’s first tenure as club President – then the prospect of a Kaká, Ronaldo, Raul, Ribery combination is simply ming-boggling. Not to mention the possible purchase of fellow Frenchmen Karim Benzema.

As Olympique Marseille fans – do you have any preferences over Ribery’s next destination?

Over and out.

P.S Arent we all a little dissapointed that done of the expected signings materialised over the weekend?, I guess I’ll just have to keep twitching my thumbs.. *fingers crossed*

You may ask “Why the pessimism? My answer is simply that it has been a reoccurring scenario that comes and goes in periodical cycles as frequent as Berlusconi makes the Italian tabloids – each instance teasing heartened Marseille fans like myself.

In the past, nothing has ever developed out of the speculation besides endearing words from the Côte d’Ivoire international himself; directed at the Marseille club and its supporters. Though pleasing to the ears of the legion of sky blue fans, its been nothing but friendly communication from Drogba.

Just weeks since Drogba’s latest admission of his affection for Marseille (June 10th) comes a rather ambitious and undoubtedly fan-pleasing ploy from the man ready to step into the Marseille Presidential role vacated by Pape Diouf.

In the wake of the recent administration tragedy that is Diouf’s departure from the organisation – Jean-Claude Dassier, his imminent replacement (Diouf is irreplaceable) has declared a desire in re-attaining the services of the Ivorian goal-getter as he plots his assault on the transfer market in a attempt alleviate frustrations from disenchanted fans after the club’s unpopular decision of ousting Erik Gerets and Pape Diouf.

“Everybody wants it (Didier Drogba back at Marseille). We will see if it is possible and if we can afford it.”

But the question remains; will a Drogba-to-Marseille move ever eventuate?

And if yes – will we witness Cindarella (Marseille) reunite with her Prince (Drogba) in the near future?

Personally – I’d rather not listen to any further Drogba-to-Marseille rumours as all it does is remind football followers the Globe over of the French league’s financial inferiority in contrast to its English and Spanish counterparts.

And with money, or a-lack-of being the variable that determines a club’s level of proficiency or mediocrity – any news linking Drogba to Marseille should remain encapsulated until there is any likelihood of the player’s signature. In my belief that is for the better of the club’s reputation.

Saying that, the ambitious yet honest attempt from OM fans exactly a year ago prior to this date here in raising cash for the re-acquaintance of Drogba is truly inspiring and shows the fans hunger for silverware.

Incidently – Drogba’s one-time strike partner at Chelsea Andriy Shevchenko, currently returning to the West London outfit from a uneventful loan spell at former employers AC Milan has been linked to a move to Marseille. If wage demands are anything to go by, Shevchenko’s astronomical earnings will all but send OM into overdraft!

By the way, this is my first blog entry for this page, nice to meet you all! – I hope to re-acquaint myself as regularly as possible throughout the duration of the coming season, and hopefully beyond. Alongside Magnusson’s leadership I’m adamant that we can form a prolific partnership that likens itself to a possible Eto’o-Drogba combination we all wish for at l’OM. *dreams*

This wednesday night, Pape Diouf skipped one of the Directory’s meetings in Paris to take care of the club in Marseille. This created a new polemic, as it was believed that a few members of that directory would be criticizing him for the Ribery incident and his handling of the whole Gerets situation.

Fist of all, with the Ribery situation, an internet website revealed earlier this month that Pape Diouf gave Franck Ribery a 500.000 euros incentive for him to go to the clash with his then employers of Galatasaray and make possible his arrival at Marseille. This alledgedly happened and Ribery allegedly confessed to it in a mailing kept by hi ancient agent, Bruno Heiderscheid.

If we remember correctly, Ribery came back to Marseille after six months in Galatasaray from Metz on reasons that he had never been paid and that there were threats made against him there and a few other things.

Now aside from that affair that never really was proven nor followed, it seems the owner wasn’t pleased with the fact that Erik Gerets left and Labrune was about to make him explain himself. If we remember correctly, the whole Gerets situation is one that was caused by bruised egos and misunderstandings. Gerets himself told since that he was sorry he reacted so quickly.

But let’s be clear, it is Robert Louis-Dreyfus‘ declarations in December in L’Equipe and Le10sport that were the source of it all. When Robert Louis-Dreyfus says “They better win or they’ll all be fired!” (or something tasteful in the lines of that), he creates a problem where there isn’t one. Pape Diouf then believes the owner (who is sick and doesn’t come to Marseille often) doesn’t want Gerets anymore. He then takes it upon himself to go see Spongebob and asks him the permission to re-sign Gerets. Permission granted but by that time, it was already too late. Diouf then immediatly signed Deschamps but everyone agrees Gerets was the most natural fit.

Anyways, this Vincent Labrune chracter wants Diouf‘’s job but as everyone in Marseille puts it, he’ll have to have the b***s to come and sit where Pape Diouf is sitting. With every single problem that comes at you sideways in this city, let’s not forget that you can’t be presiding from Paris and that’s in Marseille that things are and not in the Capitol’s restaurants. Now Labrune will have to come out and talk. Enough with the cowardice.

My personal poition is clear, Pape Diouf i wihout a doubt the best president of the Louis-Dreyfus era and this would be the WORST (and I can’t stress that enough) mistake ever made by this club if the owner let’s himself influenced enough and let’s him go. Pape Diouf is the best President of a football club that isn’t Jean-Michel Aulas (but he’s also an owner) and Marseille is headed to its fourth straight Champion League campaign.

We’ll see how this unfolds in the future but we, here at the Marseille offside, stand 100% behind Pape Diouf, Jose Anigo and Didier Deschamps.

First of all Salim Arrache, recruited from Stasbourg to be one of those wingers Marseille didn’t have in a long time never fully managed to get in the minutes he needed to win over either Jean Fernandez or Albert Emon, let alone Erik Gerets. After a full year of injuries, Salim came back for ten games but was loaned to Toulouse, then Stade de Reims where he still hasn’t managed to blossom.

The hot-headed lefty is apparently still pretty attractive to a few portuguese clubs such as Benfica. But the most interested side seems to be newly relegated Betis Seville who would be willing to take him off our hands for a million and newly promoted Xerez CD who would buy for a little more.

Fabrice Begeorgi on the other hand has been loaned to four different clubs but nothing has stuck so far and the youth product may come back home to France and is interested by a move to any of the Corsian clubs. Ajaccio and Istres seem keen on getting th player but Istres seems in he lead as they would be willing to buy him whereas Ajaccio has been asking for a loan.

More soon for the rest of the lonees, such as Jean-Phillipp Sabo and Gary Bocaly who both have impressed with Montpellier and who could be asked to stay there (even though Bocaly now seems ready to come back and prove how good he can be with us)

As for a few players we were thinking about, Didier Deschamps has decided to let go of all the players whose contracts were over at the end of the season.

First of all Renato Civelli. The Argentine was enjoying a second career at Marseille in 2009, becoming a fan favourite after being considered too clumsy to play for us. Everyone believed he would be re-upped as soon as Deschamps arrived since the player himself was hoping to stay and become an important player in next year’s squad. It won’t be the case and Civelli, who is now enjoying vacation in Argentina, won’t have much trouble finding a new club.

Another man who won’t have much trouble finding a new club is Bolo Zenden.The Dutch veteran is the club’s highest paid player and his departure is an attempt to lower the salary-mass and allow us to recruit or offer pay-raises to other players.

Tyrone Mears won’t be playing for us any more either. His contract ended and the club asked him to leave. As much as people were grateful for his goal in the Netherlands that qualified us, a man who couldn’t start at Derby County can’t start at Marseille. A mistake in casting for a man who was appreciated for his professionalism and always very kind to the fans.

Modeste M’bami will be leaving as well, but that’s everything but a surprise. The Cameroon international wanted to leave for the Premiership a year ago but didn’t. Now he’ll be free to offer his services to anyone. I’m ambivalent on this one because on one hand, he had a big salary but on the other hand, M’bami never stopped showing that Marseille was a stepping stone to the Premiership for him. I’m pretty sure he could succeed there is he applies, something he hasn’t done a whole lot of in Marseille.

Sylvain Wiltord will see his six-month contract come to an end. The 34 year-old is professionalism personified and was very helpful in getting everyone focused on the prize. But it’s another one of those incredibly expensive players, especially if they stay on the bench.

Here are five players who won’t be playing with us any more. Marseille said earlier that Didier Deschamps wanted no more thn 25 players in his whole group. Adding Givet, Samassa, Grandin, the Minots (Gnabouyou, Dennoun, Krstic, Mbow, etc….) and potentially Zubar, that’s already thirteen players leaving the Commanderie before anyone gets in.