Brice Dja Djédjé Praises Bielsa’s Impact at Marseille
The “Bielsa effect” continues to resonate strongly at Olympique de Marseille, especially after the club’s strong autumn run that saw them claim the provisional Ligue 1 autumn championship. Among the players singing the praises of Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa is Brice Dja Djédjé, who notably declined a call-up to the Ivory Coast national team for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations to focus on his club duties.
Speaking about the intense philosophy imposed by Bielsa, Dja Djédjé shared:
“One of the coach’s words really stuck with me: you have to know how to run and suffocate. Run and run out of oxygen. This isn’t a natural phrase. He pushes us to repeat runs, to push ourselves to the limit. We discover abilities we didn’t know we had.”
His comments echo the sentiments of other Marseille players, including striker André-Pierre Gignac, who have openly credited Bielsa with revitalizing the squad and raising their competitive level.
While his decision to miss out on the AFCON may raise eyebrows, it’s clear that Dja Djédjé is fully committed to the “Bielsa revolution” currently underway on the Canebière.
