Ligue 1 - Deschamps gets Marseille job

Eurosport - Tue, 05 May 14:46:00 2009

Former France captain Didier Deschamps will take over as coach of title contenders Marseille next season.

FOOTBALL 2006-2007 Juventus Serie B Didier Deschamps - 0

Captain of the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winning France teams, Deschamps will replace Belgian Eric Gerets, who previously announced he was stepping down at the end of the season.

"The choice of Didier Deschamps, whose playing and coaching career speaks for itself, was a natural one," Marseille said on their website.

"A meeting between the club's president and its major shareholder last Friday confirmed this choice. After Eric Gerets, Marseille could only set their sights on a top coach."

The club said Deschamps had signed a two-year contract and stated that its priority was winning the Ligue 1 title.

The 40-year-old is the last captain to have lifted a trophy for Marseille, winning the 1993 Champions League before going on to enjoy success with Juventus in Italy and Chelsea in England.

He won three Serie A titles and the 1996 Champions League with Juve.

Famously derided as a "water carrier" by Eric Cantona, Deschamps won 103 caps with France, scoring four goals.

As a coach, he led Monaco to the 2004 Champions League final and helped Juventus win promotion back to Serie A in the 2006-07 season.

Marseille, top of Ligue 1 with four matches remaining, had eyed Deschamps as a replacement for Jean Fernandez in 2006 but the deal did not materialise and the former France skipper decided to join Juventus.

Since leaving the Bianconeri in 2007, Deschamps spent part of his time as a consultant for French TV channel Canal Plus.

Reuters

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  1. I am not italian and never been to italy but I think my­ little knowledge of their language tells me that­ rossoneri is red and black stripes while bianconeri is­ white and black. Deschamps was never at AC Milan either­ as a player or as a coach.

    From yomia, on Tue 5 May 11:27AM

  2. Good luck Didier. Sure he'll do well. Allez OM

    From Susan, on Tue 5 May 11:24AM
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