While his departure seemed certain, Pablo Longoria clearly suggested that he would not resign from his post as president of Olympique de Marseille.
Pablo Longoria does not intend to give up. His withdrawal on Tuesday, the day after the meeting with groups of supporters during which he was allegedly threatened, and the rumors circulating in recent hours suggested a departure of the president of Olympique de Marseille. But the Spanish leader seems determined to continue his office at the head of OM, despite the explosive situation that the Marseille club is going through.
“I did not offer my resignation to Frank McCourt, he assured during a long interview with La Provence during which he appeared particularly marked by the events of recent days. Despite everything that is said about me, I am not someone who looks at his personal interests. If I’m involved in all this, it’s because I’m the president of OM. I represent an institution. I have a mandate given by the owner and the supervisory board. I must assume my responsibilities. »
While supporters affirmed on Wednesday that no threat had been made to the leaders, Pablo Longoria, on the contrary, firmly condemned the attacks and intimidation to which he had been the subject. “On Monday, I told myself that it (the limit, editor’s note) was still much further than I thought,” confides the Spanish leader about the famous meeting. It started with insinuations and it reached the point of threatening, he thundered. I can’t accept that, I can’t hear: ‘In Marseille it’s like that’. This is why we said on Tuesday: ‘In the current conditions, it is impossible to work’. You understand me now, right? It is not normal for a football manager to be threatened. Let him be criticized, yes, we are paid for that. But threatened…”
“I was able to speak for two minutes, then I was cut off and things got out of hand very quickly… We were told: ‘All four of us resign, otherwise it’s war’. The limits have been exceeded,” he added. However, the former leader of Valencia or Juventus Turin does not intend to give in to pressure and abandon ship. “Now the most important thing is the institution. We have to analyze things, with all the people who love this club. I don’t pretend to be the savior of the club or anything. I think I’m someone who wants to give their maximum or has given their maximum to try to get as high as possible with this club, he said. With good things and with bad things, but always with the objective of doing the best possible for the interest of the club, to protect the interests of the owner who is an extraordinary person, of great value. How could I leave it like that? No. »
