Didier Deschamps

[marcus50bucks]

Had a cheeky look at some of the papers in my local petrol station. According to Mr Bascombe, Deschamps is top of the list to replace Hodgson. He reckons Hodgson will soldier on until the summer.

 

Little aside.... Man utd have made contact with Young and are close to buying him for 13m. We were interested but Man utd are the only club to make official contact

[109_ultra]

Any truth that Deschamps was interviewed for the job end of last season? If so, I wonder if he'll bother to come back having been turned down once already.

[RedKnight]

He was, he said he was.

[loadsoftrophies]

Any truth that Deschamps was interviewed for the job end of last season? If so, I wonder if he'll bother to come back having been turned down once already.

 

He turned us down, he didn't want to leave Marseille so soon, another season may have changed that.

[RobbieOR]

Our change of ownership may have changed that aswell.

[marcus50bucks]

I know he's done pretty decent in his early managerial career. Can anyone shed any light on his philosophy in terms of how he likes the game to be played, tactical knowledge and his preferred formation? I can't find any articles on the net that gives you a run down about his qualities.

[Mbrownrigg]

He certainly seems to like playing with a certain amount of pace in his team.

 

Which works for me

[18-5]

I know he's done pretty decent in his early managerial career. Can anyone shed any light on his philosophy in terms of how he likes the game to be played, tactical knowledge and his preferred formation? I can't find any articles on the net that gives you a run down about his qualities.

 

Last game I saw was against Chelsea. 4-2-3-1 on that day. Wingers crossed the ball into the box all game. Were a bit lively and had 3 players in the box when attacking. Won 1-0 but it was a nothing game for Chelsea really.

 

Likes to play with a strong defensive midfielder so that the other players can go forward and attack. Chelsea absolutely battered them in the last 20 mins or so but did well to fend them off.

[PaulMcC]

Wonder if the owners have fed Bascombe this story or if he's just made it up?

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

Still think £13m is overpriced for Young.

 

The Manc cunts can have him.

 

Valencia/Anderson/Nani Mk II

[Guest San Don]

Any truth that Deschamps was interviewed for the job end of last season? If so, I wonder if he'll bother to come back having been turned down once already.

 

I dont know if he was 'interviewed' as such or we approached him to see if he was interested.

 

But, I think we need to push the boat out for him asap. I think it will be incredibly hard for us though since he sees his current job as a project and may want to stay there for a couple of years yet. Hope Im wrong though!

[RedKnight]

Didier Deschamps turned down offer to be Liverpool's manager in summer | Football | The Guardian

 

Didier Deschamps has confirmed that he turned down the chance to manage Liverpool in the summer after holding what he described as "a long discussion" with officials from the club.

 

The Frenchman takes his Marseille team to Stamford Bridge tomorrow night to face his former club Chelsea and Carlo Ancelotti, the manager with whom he briefly overlapped as a player at Juventus in 1999.

 

However, he suggested that but for the "timing" things could have worked out very differently. Liverpool parted company with Rafael Benítez in June and they included Deschamps on their shortlist of potential successors to the Spaniard. But their approach, Deschamps suggested, came too close to pre-season to persuade him to decamp from the south of France.

 

Liverpool appointed Roy Hodgson on 1 July and the former Fulham manager has endured a difficult start to his tenure, winning only one Premier League fixtures out of six and exiting the Carling Cup on penalties at home to the League Two club Northampton Town. Hodgson's team have enjoyed better results in the Uefa Cup.

 

"Yes, it's true," Deschamps said, when asked whether he had been offered the chance to manage Liverpool after Benítez's departure, "and I was very proud that a club like Liverpool were interested in me. But the timing was not good. I was engaged with Marseille, the players and the fans, and I could not leave them two days before the restart [of pre‑season]. I was extremely pleased and happy [with Liverpool's approach] but I decided to stay and continue my adventure with Marseille."

 

Deschamps was asked whether he had received a "concrete" offer from Liverpool. "But what is a concrete offer?" he replied. It was put to him that it was something definite, rather than mere fleeting talks. "We had a long discussion, yes."

 

Deschamps started coaching at Monaco in 2001 after a playing career in which he won the European Cup twice, with Marseille and Juventus, and the World Cup and European Championship as France's captain. He also collected numerous domestic honours during a career that took in spells in France, Italy, England and Spain.

 

He spent a single season at Chelsea, 1999-2000, which culminated in victory over Aston Villa in the last FA Cup final to be played at the old Wembley. "I have very fond memories of my time at Chelsea. It was a radical change for me both on and off the field after five years playing with Juventus and it took me a while to settle. What I remember is that we played every week in front of full stadia, at home and away, and the fans always got behind the team passionately. And it was great to finish with the win at Wembley.

 

"Chelsea is a totally different club, with the investment from Roman Abramovich. He has allowed the club to buy top players, build a new stand and get fantastic training facilities. They have been able to take their seat at Europe's top table."

 

As Monaco's manager, Deschamps defeated Chelsea in the 2004 Champions League semi-final before falling to José Mourinho's Porto in the final. Chelsea interviewed Deschamps to become their manager that summer, only to go for Mourinho as Claudio Ranieri's successor.

 

Deschamps joined Marseille in May 2009 after a spell in charge at Juventus and he enjoyed an excellent first season, ending the club's 18-year wait for the Ligue 1 title and winning the League Cup.

[MLB]

I'm starting to warm to the idea of Villas-Boas.

[Iantn]

I'm starting to warm to the idea of Villas-Boas.

 

Said on another thread, I don't understand that yet. He hasn't done anything to seriously make us look at him.

[18-5]

Said on another thread, I don't understand that yet. He hasn't done anything to seriously make us look at him.

 

Think the team he has is very good too. Hulk is like the Ronaldo of their league- absolutely dominates games. No wonder Porto are asking over 30 million quid for him. Plus they replaced Meirelles with Moutinho, and have Falcao upfront so they have a bit of quality to do well in that league.

[MLB]

Said on another thread, I don't understand that yet. He hasn't done anything to seriously make us look at him.

 

 

It would be a big risk, clearly, but as far as I can see it's one thing or another - we either go for someone young who is showing great promise, or we go for someone older with pedigree and a list of achievements. Trouble is, there are far more of the former in the frame than the latter.

[The Dude Abides]

Still think £13m is overpriced for Young.

 

The Manc cunts can have him.

 

Valencia/Nani Mk II

 

we could happily do with a winger as good as either of those.

[Moschops II]

I'd be more than happy with Deschamps coming in next year, much as I'm not sure I'd recognise the club with someone young, promising and apparently competent in charge. In fact, I wouldn't be entirely shocked if there was a deal in place already. Let's hope so anyway.

[marcus50bucks]

Dider Deschamps the renaissance man lifts Marseille to the heights

 

The man once derided as the water carrier has guided Marseille on 'an extraordinary human adventure' to the French title

 

It is not exactly swimming weather in the south of France, but a midnight leap into the bracing waters of the Mediterranean has seldom been so inviting. For the supporters of Olympique Marseille who flocked to the Vieux Port to celebrate winning the French championship, diving into the blue among the yachts was an act of liberating madness. Clearly, nothing on earth could even begin to dampen this blaze of happiness.

 

There were fireworks in the sky above the Vélodrome as OM hailed their first title after a troubled and often painful 18-year hiatus. Inside the dressing room, the players bounced on tables and lost their voices. Amid the mayhem, one of the protagonists tried to take it all in his contented but measured stride. Didier Deschamps has seen plenty of winning in his career. Among his collection are two Champions League medals, a handful from his titles in France and Italy, one from the FA Cup with Chelsea, and of course that rare double of World Cup and European Championship gold. He is one of the most lavishly decorated players the game has seen.

 

In typically straightforward fashion, he didn't want this latest honour, this long-awaited Ligue 1 triumph, to be about him. He was not about to hop up on to the table too because, as he wryly put it, he is "not a very good dancer". The 41-year-old Frenchman wanted the limelight to be the preserve of the players, the staff and the impassioned support. An inverse Mourinho if you like.

 

It was, of course, the egocentric Portuguese who delivered one of the heaviest blows to Deschamps's budding managerial career. Both had performed miracles to take their unfancied teams to the 2004 Champions League final while they were fresh faces on the coaching circuit. Monaco were well beaten by Porto. The victor waltzed off to lead the Roman Abramovich revolution at Stamford Bridge. The vanquished resigned from Monaco early the following season, having fallen out with the club's president, and was out of a job for almost a year.

 

It seemed like a terrible waste of talent. Sometimes in life you come across someone who strikes you instantly as a class above, and Deschamps had made a huge impression during that Champions League season with Monaco. I remember listening to him talk between masterminding the knockout defeats of Real Madrid and Chelsea. An unassuming, stocky little man with bad fashion sense, he held court about matters football with remarkable assurance and interesting ideas. At the time I wondered if this was what it was like to have an audience with Alex Ferguson in his Aberdeen days, or Marcello Lippi when he shook up Napoli in his coaching youth.

 

Deschamps was only 35 at the time and in his first managerial job, yet it was clear his players – some of whom were not much younger – thought the world of him. Fernando Morientes described him as phenomenal: "Why? He's still new to coaching but he knows the whole world of football. He has played in Italy, France, England, Spain, and he has won everywhere." Not only did they respect him, they played for him wholeheartedly.

 

What Deschamps did at Monaco, in blending wily experience with promising youth and helping them to find a common purpose and vibrant, determined spirit, provided a blueprint for what he has done this season in Marseille. When he accepted the invitation to go back to the club who revere him as a cherished icon – he was the captain of OM when they won the Champions League in 1993 – the risks were obvious. This was a club that sifted through coaches and went through players at a rate of knots in search of a renaissance. The pressure on him was heightened because of his legendary status. Nobody likes to see a fable tainted by an unhappy ending, for adoration to be eroded by disappointment.

 

Midway through the season it was not apparent that this would turn into another Deschamps success story. Marseille have been virtually unstoppable since the winter break, however. The top of the French league was a fiendishly close race for a while, but OM slammed their foot on the gas when the contenders around them were beginning to splutter. Of their last 10 games in the run-in they have won nine and drawn one.

 

Like Louis van Gaal and Steve McClaren, 2009-10 has been a kind of redemption for Deschamps. After his post-Monaco sabbatical a return to Juventus, where he flourished as a player in Serie A, was bittersweet. Juve had just been relegated to Serie B as part of the Calciopoli scandal and needed a fresh start. It was not the easiest campaign but they won promotion. Behind-the-scenes friction, though, led to a parting of the ways.

 

Deschamps spent another year on the sidelines until OM came calling, and now he has what he describes as "an extraordinary human adventure" to add to all the baubles. After this, it is difficult to imagine there will be too many more gaps in his managerial CV. A Champions League final with Monaco, promotion with Juventus, and now the French title to make it a delicious double with the League Cup in his debut season at the Vélodrome. The man Eric Cantona famously called the "water carrier" continues to show he is a man of considerable worth.

 

Guardian

[Phoenix]

I think he is too defnsive....would like a change in the overall philosophy

[marcus50bucks]

Spartak 0-3 Marseille: Marseille progress

 

 

Marseille were better all over the pitch here, and recorded an ultimately comfortable victory in Moscow.

 

Spartak lined up with their usual 4-4-1-1, with Ari playing just off Welliton upfront, and Aleksandr Kombarov and Aiden McGeady either side. Yevgeni Makeev moved to the right, so Martin Stranzl started on the left.

 

Marseille played a broad 4-2-3-1 system, though with Edouard Cisse always remaining in front of the defence, and Lucho Gonzalez playing ahead of him, to either side according to where the ball was. Mathieu Valbuena played a central attacking midfield role.

 

Valbuena was the key player here. His is naturally an attacking player but showed good defensive awareness to track Ibson – the more creative of Spartak’s two holding players – across the pitch when Ibson moved forward.

 

Marseille defend well

 

Marseille were fairly relaxed about the threat of Ari – rather than using Cisse to stay goalside of him wherever he went, they were happy to treat him as a second striker when he moved towards Welliton, with Cisse instead trying to cut out balls in towards him, with no specific player to track.

 

Valbuena goal

 

In addition to putting in a good defensive stint, Valbuena was the key attacking player. He poked an early shot just past the far post very early on, and throughout the game showed great ability to arrive late in the box at just the right time to collect loose balls, as he did when scoring against England at Wembley last week. He opened the scoring here with a great curling shot into the far top corner.

 

Spartak were at their best when they played on the counter-attack, but once Marseille took the lead, they rarely moved forward enough to leave gaps in behind. McGeady and Kombarov were probably the two brightest players for Spartak but they were dealt with very well by the Marseille full-backs, who both had good games. Even Gabriel Heinze’s relative lack of pace wasn’t a particular problem against McGeady – in fact, it was only when Makeev got forward to provide an overlap that Spartak really produced a clear cut chance.

 

Marseille fluidity

 

Marseille were fluid upfront, which caused Spartak’s static defence problems. Brandao pulled out to the left hand side and combined with Andre Ayew, whilst on the right Loic Remy made direct runs towards goal and sometimes formed what looked like a forward two with Brandao.

 

That was probably the main difference between the two sides – the interplay of the front four. Marseille’s attacking players showed teamwork and cohesion in manufacturing chances, with the wide players linking up with Valbuena and Brandao. In contrast, Spartak’s players all kept to their own areas of the pitch – with two very wide wingers, they seemed a little too predictable and were easy to Marseille to deal with.

 

A fortunate Remy goal and a great finish from Brandao – combined with a red card for Welliton – settled the game with twenty minutes to go.

 

Conclusion

 

Marseille are deservedly into the knockout phase. Didier Deschamps got his tactics spot on here – he saw Ibson as the main threat and therefore tried to nullify his ability to shape the game. Valbuena was the key in this – and he also turned in an excellent attacking display, as Spartak struggled to cope with the movement of Marseille’s front four.

 

Clicky

[WaltonRed]

Still think £13m is overpriced for Young.

 

The Manc cunts can have him.

 

Valencia/Anderson/Nani Mk II

 

You're talking shite.

[Wor Horse]

What's 'cheeky' about looking at a paper by the way?

[Phoenix]

What's 'cheeky' about looking at a paper by the way?

 

I guess not paying for them

[TheBitch]

Just been onto skybet for odds as he wasn't on their list of next potential Liverpool managers. They've updated the list and given odds of 8/1.

 

Teds just informed me Hills have quoted 20/1