At the Velodrome stadium,
A broad smile and a few words in French. This is how the new coach of Olympique de Marseille, Marcelino Garcia Toral, appeared during his presentation conference on Tuesday at the Stade Vélodrome. Already a first change compared to Igor Tudor, who resigned at the end of last season, and for whom smiles and French were foreign concepts. But he is not the only one, as the Spaniard hinted in his answers, surrounded by Olympian management Pablo Longoria and Javier Ribalta. 20 Minutes makes you a
System change
Finished the irremovable 3-4-2-1 of Igor Tudor, place now in the 4-4-2 dear to the Spanish technician that he was able to develop when he was in Valencia or Seville. With this time, some possibilities to change his scheme. “Our organization will depend on the players, but he won’t deviate much from the 4-4-2. It will depend on the team, but we can also switch to 4-2-3-1, which will depend on the profiles of the attacking players. With also a possibility of evolving in 4-3-3 “, he confided. More options on the table, which will not prevent Marcelino from imposing his style: “We are not going to change our system depending on the opponent, we are going to focus on ourselves, and convince the players to our idea, which will allow us to be more competitive and faster. »
Defensive solidity
First lesson from Marcelino’s presentation, OM will no longer defend individually as with Igor Tudor. No more maximum risk taking, “it’s not that it’s not good but I see things differently,” he explained. The Marseillais will therefore evolve “80/90% of the time with four defenders” with a “zone defense”. Marcelino also said he wanted to take as a model the counter-pressing of the biggest European clubs, such as Manchester City.
Different player profiles
So many changes in terms of defensive philosophy and tactical plan, which necessarily require an adaptation of the current workforce of Olympique de Marseille in which there is a plethora of central midfielders, fewer side players. Too bad, that’s just what Marcelino will need, as he explained on Tuesday afternoon. “We will have a different structure, with different profiles. Last year’s scheme required a lot of people inside, while we will rather need a player on the side, able to attack spaces, ”he warned. If Pablo Longoria had mentioned the need to renew the workforce with around eight to nine players, the president of OM did not wish to give precise figures as to the next arrivals. But there will be, that’s for sure.
Two forwards
Starting with the offensive sector since Marcelino’s preferential 4-4-2 system requires two attackers. Especially since Pablo Longoria has largely cast doubt on an extension of Alexis Sanchez, whom he wants to “thank for everything he has done”, while admitting “to analyze the objectives for the offensive sector which is to be redone , in terms of number of players, characteristics, and complementarity”. The president of OM still wants to give time to young Vitinha, recruited 32 million euros during the winter transfer window, but who does not convince either in Marseille or in selection with Portuguese hopes. There will be movement on the front of the Marseille attack, that’s for sure.
Communication with players
Under Igor Tudor, the final season ended as it began: energized. Payet and Nuno Tavares suspended for lack of investment, falling out with Guendouzi over his low playing time in May and June, when the pre-season camp in England last summer started under the same auspices. At that time, it was already with Guendouzi and Gerson, who finally left a short time later, that the exchanges had been tense for Igor Tudor. Marcelino wants him to “discuss a lot” with his players: “The staff is something important. I want to be close to the players and for this dialogue to become closer and longer, if there is sincerity. We have to defend OM, show solidarity and be a team to turn situations around. » Which will not prevent him from demonstrating high standards and rigour, his trademark, wherever he has gone.
And the journalists
Marcelino began his presentation with a few words in French: “Hello, thank you very much for being here. I apologize for my French, I hope to communicate with you as soon as possible in French”. What might seem anecdotal is not, as Pablo Longoria reminded us at the end of last season: he now wants his coach to speak French. Unlike Jorge Sampaoli or Igor Tudor. Another change, the wide smile displayed by Marcelino, a revolution when you remember the coldness with which the Croatian had landed last season.