Given the urgency of the situation, the matter was carried out at full speed.
Olympique de Marseille has its new coach.
As expected, Jean-Louis Gasset will succeed Gennaro Gattuso, dismissed this Monday, February 19 after a series of poor results.
The French technician has accepted a contract until next June and will be accompanied in his mission by his faithful number 2 Ghislain Printant.
Two other people will complete his staff, including a physical trainer.
The final details will be settled this Monday evening at the club's headquarters but, according to our information, they will not call into question this bipartite agreement.
The formalization will take place in the coming hours.
Gasset, 70, already knows Ligue 1 very well, having notably coached AS Saint-Étienne (from 2017 to 2019) and Bordeaux (2020-2021).
He was also Laurent Blanc's assistant at PSG between 2013 and 2016. He had held a similar position with the 1998 world champion in Bordeaux (2007 to 2010), then with the French team (2010 to 2012).
A successful rescue in Saint-Étienne
Gasset, with whom contacts were initiated in recent hours after the failure at Brest (1-0), has already made a brief visit to OM in December 1994 for two D2 matches.
He was then a physical trainer on Gérard Gili's staff.
Due to lack of contracts, the two men left after only 15 days at the club.
His profile as a leader of men, capable of turning around a crumbling locker room by activating the appropriate psychological springs, quickly won the support of the Marseille leaders.
His relationship and his proximity to the players also speak in his favor.
In Saint-Étienne between December 2017 and June 2019, he first got the club out of the rut with a 7th place in spring 2018 (16th when he arrived as number 1) before, a year later, rise to 4th place in Ligue 1, its best ranking in the elite since 1982 (also 4th in 2014).
At the head of the Ivorian selection since 2022, he had, on the other hand, resigned from his post in the middle of the African Cup of Nations when nothing was working in the Elephants team, before finally seeing them win in the final of the competition.
First match from Thursday in the European Cup
Apart from its success in the Coupe de France against Thionville (National 3), OM have not won since December 17 against Clermont.
The Marseillais lost again this Sunday in Brest (1-0).
Gennaro Gattuso appeared particularly dejected.
“I need to apologize to the supporters, to the club,” he said on Prime Video.
We've hit rock bottom and when we do, we need to take responsibility.
»
Following this new hiccup, Pablo Longoria, the president of OM, was seen in discussion with his advisor Medhi Benatia in the mixed zone.
The two men then continued their exchanges by standing aside, sheltered from the cameras and microphones.
The Spanish leader went back and forth on the phone, continuing to converse with Benatia.
With this further defeat, the Italian was ousted, this Monday morning, after a final discussion with his hierarchy and it is Gasset who will officiate on the Marseille bench during the next matches when Marseille stagnates in ninth place in the ranking of Ligue 1. With an average of 1.31 points taken per match since his arrival, the transalpine coach leaves with the second worst record since the 2012-2013 season, behind the Spaniard Michel (1, 25).
Far from his predecessor Marcelino (1.80), or Jorge Sampaoli (1.88) and Igor Tudor (1.92).
Gasset has a meeting this Thursday, February 22 with the supporters of the Stade Vélodrome for a Europa League return play-off against Shakhtar Donetsk.
In the first leg, the Marseillais conceded a draw (2-2).
Kickoff is scheduled for 9 p.m.