Next OM coach, Jorge Sampaoli will land in Marseille preceded by a sacred reputation.
The silent Lucien Favre and the placid but volcanic Maurizio Sarri have for a time been mentioned to succeed André Villas-Boas on the bench of OM. It is finally Jorge Sampaoli who won the cup, first choice (interested) of a Pablo Longoria anxious not to extend the interim of Nasser Larguet too long. Obviously, the relationship often reported between the boiling Argentine technician and Marcelo – El Loco – Bielsa makes Marseille salivate. For better and for worse.
In Brazil, where he has already formalized his departure from the bench of Atlético Mineiro, Jorge Sampaoli has been blowing hot and cold for the past two years. Appeared brilliant at the head of a limited Santos, then able to compete with the Flamengo of Jorge Jesus despite incomparable means, the one who led Chile to the roof of the continent in 2015 has lost his splendor at Atlético. ” Given his reputation and the investment made, he should have done better, breathes manager Frederico Bolivar, thus relayed by L’Equipe. We haven’t seen his paw. We especially saw an unpredictable, unstable coach, without emotional balance. “
A Bielsa bis but in explosive mode
In view of the record of the Belo Horizonte club this season (25 wins, 9 draws and 10 losses), the analysis seems somewhat severe. Especially since the Galo is well on the podium – its initial objective – one day before the end of the championship. There remains a feeling that is gleefully shared, like a taste for the unfinished, whereas the person concerned has often appeared elusive for his leaders, or even completely closed to dialogue. His tactical choices, under cover of priority to the offensive and the good game, have moreover disconcerted more than one observer while the team – by dint of wanting to play at all costs – literally scuttled itself.
Undoubtedly, Jorge Sampaoli is not the man to adapt; he alone beats the measure, ready to die with his ideas. Marcelo Bielsa had many followers in Argentina. And OM has already paid in the past to see the limits of its credo. Where the current Leeds coach was introverted however, his tattooed counterpart shines with his explosiveness, similar to the Phocaean City. Marriage is sure to spark sparks, but it’s a double-edged sword. Expelled last weekend for having stood up to a referee, Sampaoli will miss the last match of Atlético Mineiro on Thursday – his fourth this season since the person concerned has received about fifteen cards – never seen before for a strategist! In Brazil, many say they are good riddance, few will regret it. We can bet that it will not be the same in Marseille in some time …
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