“For us, coaching OM is a privilege. It’s an exciting challenge. It is considered a great European club and its history proves it”. Marcelino Garcia Toral has only been at the helm of the Olympique de Marseille project for a few weeks, but he has taken charge of the club’s dimension from the very beginning. This was demonstrated in an in-depth interview granted to ‘La Provence’, a reference newspaper in the French city. The meeting took place during the pre-season training camp in Germany.
“We know that our public wants us to attack, to harass the opponent’s goal, to make quick transitions, to have intensity, dynamism. This is what we want to offer. One of the reasons for our arrival at OM is the similarity between what the public demands and our idea of the game,” said Marcelino, very excited about the potential he perceives around him.
“Seeing 65,000 souls supporting the team at every home game also shows how this passion is lived in this city,” said the coach, although he is aware of the responsibility generated by this social support: “We have to meet the expectations of many people who want to see us work, strive, be competitive and win. For that, the demand, rigor, humility and companionship are fundamental, and they enrich a team”.
The importance of personal relationships
Beyond the professional demands of elite football, Marcelino is aware of the importance of the links with the members of the dressing room: “I believe in respect for people and in human relationships based on dialogue and honesty. When you have a sincere dialogue, people give the best of themselves”. On the other hand, despite his predilection for the 4-4-2, he opened the door to the use of other systems, such as 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3: “We will make a more precise evaluation when we have the definitive squad. But the most important thing is the profile of the players”.