Olympique de Marseille are always the focus of great attention. Recent surveys only confirm a tendency which doesn't seem to bother Didier Deschamps.
Since the start of the week, opinion polls about the favourites for the L1 title, which starts on Saturday, have been legion within the specialised Press. In France Football, the L1 managers designated OM as favourites. in L’Equipe, this Thursday, the managers, players and Presidents of the first division voted OM their favourites at 47,43%! «It just makes me grin. It’s not going to stop me sleeping. I’m pretty open about what other people think. Everyone has the right to have their own thoughts about what has gone on and to project about what may come» affirms Didier Deschamps.
Mamadou Niang : « It doesn’t mean anything »
The OM captain is used to pressure now, especially as he is going into his fifth season in Marseille. So neither these surveys nor the label of favourite worry him. «We mustn’t think about that, it doesn’t mean anything. Last year we were favourites at the start of the season and we didn’t end up champions. We have to remain focused on ourselves, our play, our squad. We need, first of all, to find our feet and create automatisms as of Saturday ».
Over the last four years OL headed this sort of survey. For the 2004/05 season, OM were on top, five years later and that is again the case. OM have been given this label because of their activity in the transfer market. «It doesn’t bother me, we’re not going to hide. Marseille have always played to win. Neither the recruitment nor this analysis come into the equation, we play to win. Every year it is the same. Whatever recruitment had been made, I would have been given the same objectives, afterwards you need to be competitive enough to achieve them».
If these surveys add more pressure, in Marseille, whether it comes from the Press or the supporters, there is pressure on a daily basis, it’s just part of the scenery. «Every year a lot is expected of OM. There are often comments from certain people, but everyone can think the way they like. There is only one truth and it comes out on the pitch. We will do what we can to be efficient ». It is true that these surveys bring extra pressure by nature, their outcomes are validated, whilst waiting for the competition and OM’s work to begin. Criticism has been rare. «There has been some , states Didier Deschamps, I’ve heard "some players are too old " or "others aren’t good enough "… But that is freedom of thought. And anyway, if there have been so few criticisms, it’s maybe because what we have done has been pretty coherent » he concludes.
