Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-02-19 14:37:35
According to a source close to the ongoing negotiations, Italian coach Gennaro Gattuso is on the verge of leaving Ligue 1 side Marseille after their 1-0 loss to Brest over the weekend. Following the defeat, Gattuso expressed his belief that Marseille, who have gone winless in their last six games, have reached a low point in their season. Furthermore, the source revealed that Gattuso confessed to feeling like he had no viable solutions left to turn around the fortunes of the team.
The departure of Gattuso is anticipated to be a mutual decision rather than a forced resignation, as per the same source. Upon his arrival at Marseille in late September as a replacement for Marcelino Garcia Toral, who left after only seven competitive games, Gattuso was unable to reverse the team’s fortunes. Marseille, currently ranked ninth in the table, has not won a league game in 2024, and their chances of qualifying for European competition next season appear to be slim. Except for a narrow 1-0 victory over fifth-tier Thionville in the French Cup, Marseille has not secured a win since their match against Clermont on December 17. They were subsequently eliminated from the cup by Rennes. Their only positive result recently has been a 2-2 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League play-offs, with the return leg set to be held at the Velodrome on Thursday.
Despite the ongoing negotiations, the club has already started the search for Gattuso’s replacement. According to the source, the club is looking for a coach who is more proactive and capable of motivating the players, preferably someone with a strong connection to French culture. Following the tenure of a Spaniard and an Italian, the search is now focused on finding a coach who is a “man of action” and can better connect with the players.
