OM: Com' de Benatia, future, McCourt... Longoria's update

“I want to thank the work and the man of Gennaro Gattuso.

He came at a very difficult time.

I assume my responsibilities as president of OM, I have my part, no doubt, it is also a message to pass on, we will do our best to make our season a success.

This is why we made the decision to take Jean-Louis Gasset.

It was necessary to make decisions with the dynamic of results, to change the current dynamic.

Jean Louis is the ideal person to create a spark and make the season a success

“We needed someone who knows the championship, with experience and mastery at the tactical level.

It was necessary, and I want to say this, a complete change in mentality.

Someone who has the keys to transforming a group.”

“The most important thing is that a supporter is right to let his emotions out.

You always have to accept that.

As an institution, we are in debt to our supporters.

It's important for us not to be afraid.

We have to bring our supporters with us.

In Marseille especially, there is passion.

It’s normal that they ask us more because we can do more.”

Mehdi Benatia is my sports advisor and I have full confidence in him.

What he gives us within the club is very important.

[...] I did not appreciate

the press release (from the UNFP)

.

In life, you have to be serious.

A press release is not written like that.

There must always be something serious in life, like answering the phone.

You have to listen to all parties.

It is not right to take advantage of our poor sporting situation to take advantage of our situation as a union.

(...) I am going to put an end to the controversy over Jonathan Clauss.

When a club president speaks at a press conference, it's over for everyone.

When I present myself here (he taps the table), to say that I am going to be transparent, words are respected, without distorting reality.

Talking about our player before a match (like Benatia did) is not the ideal situation, I admit.

Mehdi Benatia when we take him as a sports advisor, it is for his qualities.

It's not the same thing to communicate when you're an agent, when you're a player, when you're a sports advisor.

Its potential is enormous.

At the same time, you also have to get into people’s heads.

When it is said about you that you threaten players, players' agents, and that is completely false, what should we do?

Accept ?

I don't like to accept unfair situations

I will allow the coach to respond.

Do you know Mr. Tessier?

(Gasset says no) Okay.

Stéphane Tessier is a person I chose, in whom I fully trust.

We went on vacation together in the winter.

People are looking for division.

With what objective?

Destabilize the club even more?

It is not fair.

The truth is that Stéphane Tessier is a person who manages people very well on a daily basis in the club.

I am the president of this club.

I made the decision to choose Jean-Louis Gasset, and we have to take responsibility for these decisions.

No one will divide Stéphane and me

I said it in positive moments, and I say the same sentence when the dynamic is not what we expected.

Credibility comes from sporting results.

I am the first to question myself.

Will I be here (next season)?

Yes.

I like being here, I would like to continue, that’s what I want.

At the same time, a lot of people are talking about me.

I realize that many people speak on my behalf even though they don't know me.

There is no one model of ownership.

Owners go to all the matches.

Some never go there.

I've seen this in several clubs.

In Sassuolo in Italy, we never saw (the owner).

I speak with Frank McCourt every week.

We have a supervisory board in which we speak 4 hours a week.

Never in a club where I have worked have I seen so much time per week between management and the owner.

We spoke during the night from Sunday to Monday to analyze the situation.

We spoke Monday morning to share the information and the choices we were going to make.

It’s called commitment