Appointed new coach of OM, Gennaro Gattuso was presented this Thursday to the press.
After the departure of Marcelino last week, it was ultimately Gennaro Gattuso who was chosen by Pablo Longoria and his teams to take over Olympique de Marseille. Officially presented to the media this Thursday, the transalpine coach displayed his ambitions, but also mentioned the crisis currently being experienced by the Marseille club and the Vélodrome.
“It’s the only French club to have won the Champions League”
“I apologize for not yet speaking French, Gattuso said first. I will try to learn. Then, this choice was simple. We had discussions for five hours. It is the only French club to have won the Champions League. It’s a team that has values. Everyone was available for me. I also thank the players. I know the atmosphere is hot here but that doesn’t scare me. »
“I have an interest in finishing in the 4”
“The watchword is Europe, he assured. I have a contract extension which is linked to Europe (qualifying for the Champions League) so I have an interest in finishing in the 4, otherwise I’m going home. You have to concentrate game after game. We have to make sure that the supporters are happy to come to the Vélodrome. »
“It’s really an incredible atmosphere”
And Gattuso rightly evokes the atmosphere of the Marseille den: “The Vélodrome is one of the rare stadiums that can be compared with those in South America. It’s really an incredible atmosphere, it’s shaking. For the club, I remember Tapie, Papin, Deschamps, OM has a great history. There is a lot of pressure. I trained in Naples, the two cities are a bit similar. »
“We cannot refuse this club”
Finally, the former Napoli coach returned to the crisis the club was going through. “I too have experienced situations of protest, he recalled. I spoke to the president about it. I told him: “If you have to take a slap, you will have to keep quiet. » I am aware of the situation. I know it’s hard. You have to move forward. Focus on the future. Ultimately, we only have one life. For people who love this job, you can’t refuse this club. »
