Marseille Appoint Villas-Boas As New Manager

By Max Wise

French giants Olympique Marseille have appointed former Chelsea manager, Andre Villas-Boas, as the club’s new manager on a two-year deal.

Villas-Boas replaces Rudi Garcia, who left at the end of the season, after a fifth-placed finish in the French Ligue 1 failed to bring European football to the Stade Velodrome for the 2019/2020 campaign.

Villas-Boas burst onto the European scene as young 33-year-old when he led FC Porto to win the domestic double in Portugal before adding the Europa League to complete a remarkable treble in the 2010/2011 season.

Villas-Boas was priced away by Chelsea the following season but was sacked after just nine months in charge before joining Tottenham Hotspurs in another ill-fated spell that ended after a season-and-a-half.

Marseille owner Frank McCourt told the club’s official website of Villas-Boas’ arrival: “We are delighted to hire a coach whose success is recognised at the highest level in Europe and worldwide.

“Andre Villas-Boas' philosophy and approach to the game aligns with what we want for OM and will help revitalise our project after a disappointing campaign.

“Our expectations are still great and we are making the changes necessary to achieve our goals.”

Villas-Boas’ last taste of management came in the Chinese super league with Shanghai SIPG which ended in November 2017.

The 41-year-old embarked on a career in motorsport after leaving China, and competed in the 2018 Dakar rally.