If André Villas-Boas remains officially under contract with OM, his succession shakes the wings of the Olympian club.
Laid off last Tuesday following his exit from his laconic press conference, where he confessed to having resigned to the Olympian management, the Portuguese recorded the end of his adventure on the banks of the Canebière.
While Nasser Larguet is acting, and this at least for a second week, the rumor of the arrival of Jorge Sampaoli (60) on the bench of OM is gaining momentum according to various sources.
According to
RMC Sport
, the Argentinian coach even told his entourage of his intention to join the Marseille club.
In 2016, already approached by OM, the Argentine did not hide his attraction to OM in an interview with
SoFoot
: “It's the kind of club that I like.
People who have this support, this popular clamor and who make that if you win something, the city explodes.
It would be extraordinary to be able to bring the joy they deserve to these cities, in return for what they give to football. ”
A Loco 2.0
An appointment that could delight Olympian fans since the Argentinian presents himself as a disciple of his compatriot Marcelo Bielsa, whose visit to the Bouches-du-Rhône marked the spirits during the 2014-2015 season.
“In fact, I spied Marcelo for 10 years, he confided before the 2014 World Cup. I spent at least 14 hours a day thinking about him, watching videos of his teams' matches.
I even recorded his press conferences and listened to them while going for a run. "
It is moreover by succeeding “El Loco” that Sampaoli became known, taking the helm of the selection of Chile in 2012 after initial experiences in Peruvian, Chilean and Ecuadorian clubs.
More verbose than his mentor, he takes up the codes, mixing a great intensity and aggressiveness to stifle the opponent, while setting up an exciting offensive game.
A four-year experience and a good period for Arturo Vidal and his family, scorers from Spain in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup (eliminated in the eighth by Brazil on penalties) before winning the Copa America at home 2015 bearded nose of Lionel Messi and Argentina.
This title, and the title of best coach in South America that resulted from it the same year, are the main achievements of the Argentine, a specialist in South American football.
>> READ ALSO - The transfer window: Sampaoli “wants to come to Marseille” according to his representative
A coach close to his players
It is after this successful year that Sampaoli tries for the first time the adventure in Europe.
Courted by many clubs including Marseille, the native of Casilda (40,000 inhabitants) signed up with Sevilla FC and took over from Unai Emery, who left to join Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2016. To date, this remains his only experience in Europe.
In particular, he directs Samir Nasri who, in a live Instagram with journalist Walid Acherchour, told in May the management based above all on the affect of the Argentine technician: “He was a friend, not a trainer.
He said to me: "You can drink, go out, do whatever you want, I'll cover you."
He only asked us to be good in the field on weekends.
If I wanted to go see my family on a weekend when I wasn't playing, Sampaoli would tell me that he would take care of my dog. "
A one-year experience with the three-time defending Europa League champion, where he will qualify his club for the next Champions League thanks to a fourth place in La Liga with a game resolutely based on the offense.
At the end of the season, his short European adventure comes to an end when the Argentinian selection makes his eyes soft: "I am not a mercenary, it is my country that calls me", had thus justified Sampaoli when leaving. Andalusia.
With Sampaoli at its head, the Albiceleste qualifies for the 2018 World Cup, where it laboriously comes out of the pools before falling in the round of 16 against France (4-3).
The coach is then dismissed, and will rebound in Brazil six months later, where he will discover the championship with Santos.
The former club of Neymar will finish dolphin of Flamengo in 2019. In conflict with his management, Sampaoli left the club a year later before signing with Atletico Mineiro.
A complicated file
Still under contract with the Belo Horizonte club, the Argentine reaffirmed his intention to go to the end of the season with his club, until the end of February.
With four days to go, Sampaoli and his family (3rd) are six points behind the Internacional Porto Alegre, leader.
Under contract until December 2021, financial negotiations will therefore take place between the two clubs for the arrival of the coach, who also welcomed his fourth child on Monday.
A complicated task by the admission of Stéphane Darmani, correspondent in Brazil for Canal +, who reported in the
Late Football Club on
Monday of the will of billionaire Rubens Menin, owner of the club, who "loves Sampaoli and who made his extension a priority."
READ ALSO - The newspaper of the transfer window: Messi put off by the “aggressive” strategy of PSG?
READ ALSO - Ntcham tackles Villas-Boas on his arrival at OM: "He was aware"
On the sidelines of the presentation of Olivier Ntcham in Marseille on Tuesday, the sporting director Pablo Longoria, who would have made the Argentinian his priority for the post of coach, was also keen to mitigate a possible advance in this file: “Talking about names today is fueling speculation, and I don't like speculation.
We are working on different tracks.
There are advanced leads, others in the state of contacts. ”
Especially since his emoluments (3 million per season in Seville) could cool the Olympians decision-makers.
But will they miss out on a trainer, whose hyperactivity on the bench is common knowledge, wishing to set the Vélodrome on fire again?
Read also
Can the city of Marseille sell the Vélodrome?