After Pablo Longoria in La Provence and Frank McCourt through a club press release, it is the turn of the Marseille Ultras to express themselves. In a press release co-signed by several OM supporters’ organizations, except CU84, they affirm “that no death threat or threat of violence was made against the leaders, their family or anyone else”, reserving the right to sue for defamation those who report this type of facts. It remains to be seen what criticisms the supporters make of the leaders. Reproaches which do not even concern the “deplorable play” of the team since the start of the season and the strategic choices described as “questionable” by management, in their terms, but rather the training center.
There is talk of “overwhelming testimonies” from parents of children who play there, “questionable supervision methods” or even “degrading punitive sanctions inflicted (within) the women’s section”. Concretely, the following points would have been discussed during the famous meeting on Monday, according to the supporters: “The reason for the termination of contracts of 36 players from the training center, all of Marseille origin, and this since June 2023, the oppressive influence which would be exercised by certain agents towards young professional contracts, the silence maintained on the reasons which led the management of OM to reject historic professional players, the dissatisfaction of supporters with the increase in the price of the subscription justified only by a probable qualification for the Champions League, the recurring presence of certain companies in numerous transfers within the club, the countless changes of coach necessarily generating instability of the team.
Also read “They are breaking the club”: after the departure of Marcelino, the fed up of Marseille supporters against the “ultras”
And the press release from the Fanatics, the MTP, the South Winners, the Friends of OM, the Dodgers and the OM Handi Club concluded: “We must no longer confuse intimidation and defense of the interests of our players and our colors. Our cry of alarm in the face of the worrying abuses denounced in particular by the players of the training center and their families cannot serve as a pretext for the possible resignation of the management team which does not seem to want to face its responsibilities. Remember that Marcelino has already packed up, two days before the Europa League match against Ajax, this Thursday, in Amsterdam. Jacques Abardonado will be on the bench. President Longoria denounced “threats” and called for “profound change”, he who retains the “firm support” of owner McCourt.
