Marseille: Frank McCourt is awakening the Ligue 1 giants

A return to importance for the Le Classique between PSG and Marseille will be a win for fans of the game and for Ligue 1.

It is a storyline that has played out in the beautiful game many times over the last decade. A big money business man or group buys a club, and pours resources into the project. The club rises in status and tries to muscle in on the big clubs as the ownership chases glory. Frank McCourt is the latest to take that plunge, buying Olympique Marseille in October.

If McCourt’s name seems familiar, it should be. Frank was the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers for eight years. Those years could best be described as turbulent, but the experience has spurred McCourt to take on his next venture. Reviving French giant Olympique Marseille is the project the American has decided to put his money behind, and for good reason.

Olympique Marseille Selling Points

Marseille holds legendary status among French clubs. Their nine Ligue 1 titles is just short of Saint-Etienne’s ten for the most in France. Their Champions League title in 1993 is still the only one by a French club, something that drives northern rivals PSG crazy.

From a facilities standpoint, Marseille boasts some of the best in France. The Stade Velodrome is a large capacity cathedral of the beautiful game. When OM are on form, the stadium fills up providing an intimidating home pitch advantage. Their training facilities are good as well, and their youth academy has done a solid job of providing first team players over the years.

While Marseille is not considered one of the jewels of the Mediterranean coast, its proximity to the French Riviera can be an advantage in player recruitment. Another advantage is its rich history of players. Marseille is the club that boasted Jean-Pierre Papin, Abedi Pele, Marcel Desailly, Fabien Barthez, Didier Deschamps, Didier Drogba and others. Becoming a part of that tradition is another selling point for the club.

Fabien Barthez is part of a long list of Marseille greats

Marseille, FRANCE: Olympique de Marseille’s goalkeeper Fabien Barthez jubilates at the end of the French L1 football match Olympique de Marseille vs Paris Saint-Germain at the Velodrome stadium, 16 October 2005 in Marseille. Olympique de Marseille won 1-0. AFP PHOTO BORIS HORVAT (Photo credit should read BORIS HORVAT/AFP/Getty Images) /

The roster to begin the 2016 season had some very good pieces to work with. Bafetimi Gomis (on loan from Swansea) and Florian Thuavin (on loan from Newcastle) provide the teeth of the attack. Lassana Diarra and Maxime Lopez lead a midfield full of options. The defense has gotten younger over the last few seasons, but still has the talent to be effective.

Recent History

Olympique Marseille last hoisted the Ligue 1 title in 2010. Since then, Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco have taken advantage of heavy financial backing to put a stranglehold on the league. During that time, Marseille struggled to keep up. A swinging door of coaches along with financial troubles saw the club begin to decline.

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In August, news broke of McCourt in negotiations with the OM ownership. The deal was completed in October. With McCourt in control, the changes began to come quickly.

Initial Changes

McCourt wasted no time in putting his stamp on the club. He has promised to invest 200m Euros over the next few seasons into the team. To manage those funds and the players it will buy, he brought in highly regarded Rudi Garcia as the manager. He tabbed former Barcelona Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta to fill the same position in Marseille.

With talented, experienced people filling the key top-level positions, Marseille can turn their attention to their roster. Since the announcement of McCourt’s acquisition, there have been multiple players linked with moves to the French coast in January.

Former Marseille star Dimitri Payet has stated his being open to returning to the club. Other reports have linked Chelsea man John Obi Mikel to OM as well. Whether either of these players make their way to France remains to be seen. The fact is there is a willingness to spend the money, and that will generate a great deal of transfer buzz.

Potential Pitfalls

While McCourt is experienced in overseeing a major franchise, world football is a different ballgame than MLB. Relying on Zubizarreta and Garcia’s input will be key. They have been around the game and understand what it takes to build a winner. Trusting his people to do their jobs will be the first step.

Conclusion

McCourt’s acquisition of Olympique Marseille is good for Ligue 1. If he puts up the investment he has promised, and they use it wisely, Marseille should find themselves locking horns with PSG for the Ligue 1 title. A return to importance for the Le Classique between PSG and Marseille will be a win for fans of the game and for Ligue 1.

Next: Marseille look at Arsenal for defensive help

If all goes to plan, perhaps Marseille can find themselves champions of Europe again. Even if they fall short of that goal, Marseille is too much a part of French football to be a non factor. French football and its fans need the sleeping giant to be awakened. The question is whether PSG and company are ready for it.

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Former Dodger’s owner McCourt is awakening Marseille, Ligue 1’s sleeping giant

By Marcel Dumas | Dec 21, 2016