The rise of Pablo Longoria, new OM president since Friday, February 26, is dazzling.

First a recruiter, until working at the huge Juventus Turin, in charge of sports policy in Valencia then sports director in Marseille, here is the Spaniard installed in place of Jacques-Henri Eyraud.

Chosen by owner Frank McCourt, he is the youngest in office for a century, from the first four presidents, from 1899 to 1921, from René Dufaure de Montmirail, the founder (at 23), to Paul Le Cesne (30 years).

In October 2016, when the American bought OM to place the former Harvard teacher there, the role of the unknown was played by Jacques-Henri Eyraud.

"JHE" swore that this "position that drives you crazy" would not contaminate him, but ended up burning himself there, having almost all of Marseille against him, from politicians to supporters.

He was relegated to the jump seat of chairman of the supervisory board.

>> To read also: "The fight of the supporters of the Olympique de Marseille to live their passion"

Almost everything opposes Pablo Longoria, whom Jacques-Henri Eyraud had gone looking for last year after a long recruitment process, in the managerial spirit that he promoted.

"JHE" ensured that we could manage OM "like a business".

Pablo Longoria, from the seraglio, should lead it like a football club.

Round rather than hedgehog

Its abrupt and brittle sides led to the downfall of Jacques-Henri Eyraud.

Pablo Longoria is not the type to add fuel to the fire.

For example, when André Villas-Boas slams the door criticizing the sports director, the Spaniard praises the very good work of the Portuguese, without replying.

"JHE", he counter-attacks with a dismissal from "AVB".

During his tenure, he pursued several players for "serious misconduct" (Henri Bedimo, Adil Rami ...) rather than composing.

In the "war" with the supporters, the new president, while strongly condemning the attack on the training center by 300 of them on January 30, was ready to negotiate.

“Everyone needs to talk to each other, that we find the best solutions,” he said.

Radical fan opposition, with a city larded with "Eyraud out" stickers, ended up getting its head.

Pablo Longoria, who has already traveled a lot, deals with the club's media environment.

Like his predecessor, he responds little to the press - "But sometimes I talk to you more than to my own wife," he joked with reporters.

However, he does not call him either to bitch after a paper deemed negative, a practice that has strained Jacques-Henri Eyraud's relationship with journalists.

Round rather than hedgehog, Pablo Longoria is more flexible with his collaborators.

But internally, a few teeth grind.

"He knows football, that's for sure," slips an employee, "but does he have the managerial skills to be president?"

And the Spaniard does not have a perfect command of French.

"It is perceived as a handicap for the daily management of the club", adds this source.

End negotiator

Another big difference with "JHE", Pablo Longoria appeared as a gifted negotiator on the transfer window, where the now ex-president made costly mistakes - Kevin Strootman, Kostas Mitroglou ... - which have long plagued the accounts.

He managed to profitably sell Morgan Sanson to Aston Villa (17 million euros, it had cost 12) and get rid of Strootman and Mitroglou.

Franck McCourt, who spent more than 300 million euros without much return, was able to appreciate this improvement in financial income when giving the keys to someone else.

Jacques-Henri Eyraud did not miss everything either.

With him, OM played a new European final, in 2018 (Europa League, lost 3-0 against Atlético Madrid), and found the Champions League, even if the campaign was completely missed this season.

He also started a real training project, history will perhaps recognize him later, launched a lot of good marketing leads and initiated the digital revolution of OM, as do the very big European clubs.

This taste for innovation is undoubtedly the area where Pablo Longoria and "JHE" resemble each other.

"Geek" of football, the Spaniard also handles "big data", for strictly sporting purposes.

But now all these tools are in his hands.

With AFP

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