Gennaro Gattuso in Marseille, it’s done. While the leads leading to Julen Lopetegui, Javi Garcia, Oliver Glasner or even the former PSG coach Christophe Galtier were mentioned, even that of an improbable return of Igor Tudor, the name of the 45-year-old Italian technician came out of the hat late Tuesday evening to succeed the resigning Marcelino, appointed last summer, and the interim Jacques Abardonado. The person concerned arrived in Provence this Wednesday afternoon before signing a one-year contract, plus an optional second season, it is now official, and leading his first training session at the Commanderie. The latest Italian coach in Marseille? The man named Giuseppe Zilizzi, in 1958.
“I am very happy and proud to join Olympique de Marseille,” declares the new coach of the Marseille club. A club and a stadium, the Orange Vélodrome, in which I had the opportunity to evolve as a player, famous throughout Europe for the passion and fervor that emanates from it. I can’t wait to get to work with my new group and take on the next challenges that await us,” he says, whose OM highlights the “culture of winning, its ability to evolve in high-pressure environments and his extensive experience at the highest level. All without failing to remember that “Rino” evolved under the orders of some figures of Italian coaching during his career, from Carlo Ancelotti to Marcello Lippi via Massimiliano Allegri. Five-star mentors.
A rough defensive midfielder with a (very) strong character, Gattuso spent most of his playing career in the colors of AC Milan (1999-2012), winning, among others, two League titles champions (2003 and 2007). An Italian international on 73 occasions and world champion in 2006, the native of Corigliano Calabro finished his playing career and began his coaching career in Sion, Switzerland, in 2013, before taking the reins of Palermo, OFI Crete and Pisa, then return home. After a stint at the head of AC Milan’s U19s, he took on the role of head coach of the Lombard club in 2017. Two-year mandate, during a transition period after the departure of Silvio Berlusconi. Gattuso then led Naples (2019-21), with an Italian Cup in 2020, his only trophy as coach, then Valencia, for six months (Dec. 2022-Jan. 2023). He has been free since this short Spanish experience, he who for a time seemed close to OL. It was ultimately his compatriot Fabio Grosso who hit the jackpot.
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Gattuso, just a big mouth? You don’t manage Milan and Naples without certain qualities, even if Raymond Domenech welcomes his appointment with irony and skepticism. “Gattuso at OM? The Marseillais should appreciate being able to relaunch a coach who has not really succeeded until now,” said the former coach and, above all, current president of the French coaches union (Unecatef). “The image he has, haranguing, angry, who is capable of shouting at the referees, is not entirely real in the locker room, he is a hard worker who knows the very high level well, very strong tactically and a very good teammate. I imagine that he is capable of transmitting something very good in the locker room to his players,” judges his former Milan teammate Vikash Dhorasso on the L’Equipe channel, adding that it is not bad to see a “volcanic” personality arrives in order to “shake up” a “sleeping” team.
One thing is certain: the context is explosive in Marseille after a week marked by the departure of Marcelino, the bickering with the supporters, the real-false departure of Pablo Longoria and the debacle against PSG (4-0 defeat). Returned to the Europa League after their exit against Panathinaikos in the third preliminary round of the Champions League, OM only occupy a modest eighth place in the L1 standings (2 wins, 3 draws, 1 defeat). “We lacked character,” lamented all the Marseillais who took the trouble to respond to journalists on Sunday, at the Parc des Princes. Character is not what is lacking in Gattuso, who will begin his mandate with a perilous trip to Monaco on Saturday evening (9 p.m.).
