Marseille appoints Beye as successor to De Zerbi
Marseille aims to revitalize their season with the appointment of a new coach.
The nine-time French champions have named Habib Beye as the successor to Roberto De Zerbi on Wednesday, following a poor run of form that led to the club’s exit from the Champions League and a 12-point deficit behind Ligue 1 leaders Lens.
Beye, a former Senegal international and ex-player for Marseille, will oversee the team’s match against Brest on Friday.
After guiding Red Star to promotion to Ligue 2, Beye spent the previous year and a half as the head coach at Rennes, where he was dismissed earlier this month.
Marseille has not secured a victory in their last three league matches, severely impacting their title aspirations. The results, which included a 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, have frustrated supporters. The club is hopeful that Beye, known for his discipline and emphasis on ball possession along with a robust attacking style, will provide a much-needed spark.
Beye’s appointment “refocuses us on the challenges we still need to tackle between now and the end of the season,” stated Marseille owner Frank McCourt.
Since McCourt acquired Marseille in 2016, the once-prominent club has struggled to establish any stability amid a series of coaching changes and crises. They have not claimed the league title since 2010.
Marseille’s tumultuous season took another turn on Tuesday when sporting director Medhi Benatia returned to the club just two days after resigning.
He stepped down on Sunday, shortly after De Zerbi’s departure. However, McCourt announced that Benatia had agreed to return until the season’s conclusion to “oversee all sporting activities.”
Benatia expressed support for Beye’s appointment.
“The selection of Habib Beye as OM’s new coach aligns perfectly with our intention to bring in a coach with the leadership qualities necessary to take charge of a team that clearly needs to be re-motivated after a challenging period on the pitch,” Benatia stated.
“From our initial discussions, he impressed me as highly dedicated and entirely focused on the future, with clear goals for everyone: to swiftly return to winning ways, target a spot on the Ligue 1 podium, and strive to win the Coupe de France to provide the people of Marseille with a trophy.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
