It was President Vincent Labrune who announced on Monday, following Marseille’s recent draw against Lille in the French football championship, that Marcelo Bielsa is expected to coach OM next season. Labrune stated, “An agreement in principle has been signed. In spirit, we agree with Marcelo Bielsa. We agree on the sports project in particular. We have an agreement in principle which is now subject to the drafting of contracts and the legal part.” Despite this announcement, some are skeptical about the completion of the deal, as the final negotiations are reportedly quite complicated.
Marcelo Bielsa, aged 58, has been without a contract since leaving Athletic Bilbao at the end of last season. He gained fame for winning the gold medal with the Argentinian national team at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004. Bielsa has also garnered interest from Morocco, the host country of the upcoming 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN). However, it appears that Bielsa’s focus may be on coaching Marseille next season, although the situation remains uncertain.
Bielsa previously coached Argentina from 1998 to 2004, during which they were Copa America finalists and won the Olympic gold medal in 2004. He also managed the Chilean national team from 2007 to 2011, leading them to the round of 16 in the 2010 World Cup.
To be continued…
Tags: Football, Morocco, Marcelo Bielsa, OM
