Sports : Jean-Louis Gasset takes over OM after Gattuso’s dismissal

Jean-Louis Gasset has been appointed as the coach of Olympique de Marseille, succeeding Gennaro Gattuso, less than a month after being dismissed by Ivory Coast.

The former Ivory Coast coach Jean-Louis Gasset, sacked at the beginning of the Africa Cup of Nations, brings his vast experience in France, having worked in various clubs such as Montpellier, Saint-Étienne, and Bordeaux.

Gasset’s decision comes one day after Gattuso’s dismissal, which followed Marseille’s defeat to Brest (1-0) last week in the French league. Marseille, currently ninth in the standings, is looking for a new dynamic to hope for qualification in European competition next season.

At 70 years old, Gasset expressed his honor to join the legendary club and said he is eager to start working with the team to prepare for the upcoming matches. OM, which has experienced chronic instability since being bought by Frank McCourt in 2016, hopes to quickly regain its form, especially for the second leg of the Europa League preliminary round against Shakhtar Donetsk.

The French club must overturn a 2-2 deficit from the first leg to stay in the race in Europe this season. Marseille, nine-time French champion and the only French winner of the Champions League, is aiming to return to national and international success.

Pascal Amstrong