Today occupied in turn by Leonardo Balerdi, Benjamin Pavard and Nayef Aguerd, the central hinge of Olympique de Marseille has, in the past, relied on Souleymane Diawara. The former Senegalese international defender wore the Marseille jersey for five seasons and is among the last to have lifted the French champion trophy with OM, in 2010.
Before settling down in Canebière, the native of Gabou had already tasted success with the Girondins de Bordeaux between 2007 and 2009. And even earlier, he had had a significant experience at Charlton Athletic during the 2006-07 season, a spell strongly influenced by his tumultuous relationship with the coach at the time, Alan Pardew, which would influence the course of his career.
“He told me he was going to burn me in England”
“Alan Pardew, the bastard… He doesn’t make me play… We had a fight, but hot… He told me that he was going to burn me in England, that I wouldn’t be able to play there anymore. It went peanuts. It didn’t happen in the fists, but in the words. He insulted everyone, I insulted him too. In fact, he arrives, it’s his choice, he doesn’t want to make me play anymore. From eleven, he takes me to the stands. These are choices, I have always respected that, you can’t please everyone. One match, two matches… Then, he started me because there were suspended and injured people, he had no choice. I have a big match against Everton. People talk about me well in the newspapers… The match after, in the stands »in the podcast Below the surface.
“I’m going to ask him if there’s something, he tells me no… But he wasn’t talking to me, there were no exchanges. I continue to train because you never know… I must not tear myself up if he makes me play. He made me play against Arsenal, they beat us 4-0. It kills me, it makes me miserable, it tires me on all sides. I concede a penalty, etc. I tell myself that in the end, he is right. He gives me a replacement. There were to be ten matches left. I play four matches in a row, we don’t concede a goal, and frankly I have good matches. Liverpool arrives, grandstand… The supporters were starting to shout… The end of the season is coming. I have three English clubs who are interested in me, and there Alan Pardew tells me ‘no, I don’t want to sell you, I want you to be my captain next season’. I called the sports director, he spoke French, and I wanted us to understand each other well. I tell him I don’t want to stay, I have a real concrete offer from West Ham. He tells me no, that he needs me next year. But the coach never made me play, he wants me to be his captain, and I don’t speak English… They say it’s out of the question that I leave. There, it started with clashes, insults… That’s when I was told that I would never play in England again”concludes Diawara.
