SOCCER:Marseille will be buzzing tonight as the French champions come face to face with Manchester United, writes MATT SPIRO
ON MAY 5th last year, Marseille’s Vieux Port became the impromptu stage for an almighty party. Tens of thousands of fans poured into the city’s epicentre to celebrate Olympique de Marseille’s long-awaited title triumph. For the younger generation, many of whom expressed their delight by leaping into the Mediterranean fully-clothed, this was a novel experience. For others, the raucous scenes may have triggered some hazy memories.
This explosion of joy was intensified by the 17 years of anguish that had preceded it. Marseille’s previous league title dated back to 1992, when a diving header from a young Didier Deschamps against Cannes clinched a fourth straight crown. The following season, Deschamps captained OM to Champions League glory against AC Milan.
Sadly Marseille’s greatest moment also marked the end of an era. The next two decades would be marred by corruption and controversy as France’s most powerful club stumbled from crisis to crisis, failing to add a single trophy to their collection.
Only when Deschamps returned as coach in 2009 did the slump end. The former France skipper steered Marseille to a domestic double last term and has now qualified them for the Champions League knockout stage for the first time this century. Success follows Deschamps everywhere he goes and his presence in the Stade Vélodrome dugout should represent a significant source of concern for Manchester United.
On the face of it, winning the French title with Marseille may not seem like such a big achievement. After all, they are the wealthiest club in France and attract comfortably the biggest crowds. They have been blessed with some brilliant players too, from Didier Drogba to Franck Ribéry and Samir Nasri.
Scratch under the surface, however, and it becomes clear this is no ordinary club.
OM is the most important institution in France’s second city. They represent the lifeblood of a vibrant, soccer-loving region. Local newspapers scrutinise every detail of every training session and influential figures all want a piece of the action.
Unlike at United, where Alex Ferguson can work without interference, Deschamps has to appease powerful supporter groups, a demanding president, high-profile owners, an abrasive sporting director, a chief executive and the city mayor. Not to mention staying onside with a local mafia that continues to enjoy a strong presence.
Marseille’s main problem has been instability. Since former chief Bernard Tapie left in disgrace after being found guilty of match-fixing in 1993, they have employed 11 different presidents and worked through 21 coaches.
No wonder Deschamps thought long and hard before accepting the challenge. “I was always wary of coming back because I know how complicated it can be at Marseille,” explains the 42-year-old, who previously coached Monaco and Juventus.
“The average life-span of a Marseille coach is less than 12 months, so you could say I’m doing well. But I take nothing for granted. Every day I survive is a bonus.”
That Deschamps has to scrap for survival is ridiculous considering everything he has done to restore Marseille’s battered image.
The club were famously stripped of their 1993 league title and relegated after the Affaire VA-OM in which Valenciennes players were offered money to “take it easy” in the game that preceded the Champions League final. Controversy has followed them ever since. Ex-coach Rolland Courbis served a prison sentence after an investigation found irregularities in transfer dealings, while the club’s late owner, Robert Louis-Dreyfus, received a suspended sentence.
Marseille’s run to the 2004 Uefa Cup final was marred by the unsavoury transfer saga that followed: Drogba did not want to leave but a gaggle of agents made sure he did, knowing they could profit significantly from Roman Abramovich’s generosity. The €38 million received from Chelsea was frittered away on several poor signings.
From the curious case of Thomas Deruda – a mediocre striker who was fast-tracked into the team thanks to his father’s alleged links to the mafia – to Fabien Barthez, who left the club amid reports of car-jackings, controversy has never been far away. Perhaps the most embarrassing moment came in 2007 when Louis-Dreyfus nearly sold out to Jack Kachkar, a Canadian trickster who had convinced the Marseille owner his imaginary fortune was real.
Deschamps, for the most part, has steered clear of the off-field shenanigans. The ex-Juventus, Chelsea and Valencia midfielder does his best to focus on the soccer and has succeeded in moulding a powerful team. Last season’s title-winning side was built around a solid defence that included Souleymane Diawara, Stéphane Mbia and ex-United player Gabriel Heinze. Lucho Gonzalez’s passing prowess and Mamadou Niang’s goals were also crucial.
Deschamps, however, is most of proud of changing the mentality at a club that had gained a reputation for being perennial losers. “It had been so long since Marseille had won anything, I knew the hardest trophy to win would be the first one,” he says. “That’s why beating Bordeaux (to win the League Cup) was so important. After that there was no fear.”
Having won the World Cup, the European Championship, two French titles, three Serie A titles and two Champions League crowns, Deschamps is one of the most successful players in history and commands respect. “I have that winning culture. It’s something I was born with and it’s important,” he stresses. “My role now is to pass that on to the players. But it isn’t easy in France. We’re so used to losing top players, there’s a bit of an inferiority complex.”
Deschamps discovered the harsh reality in 2004 when, after masterminding Monaco’s brilliant run to the Champions League final, his team was instantly broken up. One of his alumni, Patrice Evra, may come back to haunt him tonight.
Deschamps was stung again last summer when Niang left for Fenerbahce. The sale of Marseille’s captain and best forward was sanctioned by Anigo without the coach’s blessing, and it left Deschamps fuming. The summer subsequently turned into a farce, with Deschamps refusing to speak to his sporting director and nobody agreeing on transfer targets.
By the time a massive €31m was splashed on two promising strikers, André-Pierre Gignac and Loic Rémy, OM had already lost their first two league games and would suffer further defeats in the Champions League against Spartak Moscow and Chelsea. Deschamps had just turned down an approach from Liverpool and seemed to be regretting it.
Luckily for Marseille, he is still there and OM’s season has recovered. They won their last four group games without conceding and are back in title contention. “Reaching the last 16 is the minimum for a club of Marseille’s standing,” Deschamps reflects. “We’re pleased to have achieved that but now we have to make the most of our chance.”
Not that he is overly confident. Marseille’s most creative midfielder, Mathieu Valbuena, is unfit, while Gignac, who was starting to score at last, is also out. “If you compare our players to theirs, you can say we have no chance,” says Deschamps. “They have great experience, whereas only a couple of our boys have played a Champions League knockout match before. But we won’t sit back and admire them. We’ll give it our best shot.”
Whatever happens, the town will be buzzing again tonight. Thanks to Deschamps, happier times have returned to Marseille at long last.
Olympique Marseille: The facts
Founded: 1899.
Marseille have won nine French titles, one fewer than Saint-Etienne.
They are the only French club to have won the Champions League, defeating AC Milan in Munich in the 1993 final.
Their glory period coincided with Bernard Tapie's reign as president. They won five titles in a row from 1988-1993 but had the last one taken away due to match-fixing.
Jean-Pierre Papin finished top-scorer in Ligue 1 for five seasons running, winning the Ballon d'Or in 1991.
Chris Waddle remains an OM legend, having played between 1989 and 1992, and "Waddle mullets" can still be spotted in the city today.
Current players André and Jordan Ayew are the sons of former star Abedi Pelé.
Two of French football's greatest players, Zinédine Zidane and Eric Cantona, were born in Marseille. However, only Cantona played for the club.
Marseille were relegated in 1994 as punishment for their involvement in a match-fixing scandal the previous year.
They went 17 years without winning a trophy before Didier Deschamps' side clinched the League Cup and the Ligue 1 title last season.
