1st Team

Jacques-Henri Eyraud : «A special Club»

Posted by
Frédéric Rostain
On Monday 14 May 2018 at 09:00
The Final

"We have pressure. But we have come so far that the boys' state of mind is to play freely and have fun."

"Dimitri Payet felt a little tweak before the match at Guingamp. I hope he will play, but it is still uncertain. We have hope. Bouna Sarr has a reoccurring problem in his shoulder, it's a complicated issue this season, it is uncertain. Rolando is ready and Mitroglou is training with the team, so that's good news."

The High Stakes of the Final

"This is our first full season together, we did not plan to go to the Europa League final. We have made massive steps, but we are still in the investment and reconstruction phase."

"Qualifying for the Champions League brings a lot of money but in our plans, it was not expected at the end of the first year. Essentially, we have nothing to lose."

The Orange Vélodrome

"The Mayor of the city said that the stadium was not for sale but that OM must be the operator or exclusive manager, it is strategic. We are advancing on the subject and in a few years, we will be able to reach our goals without owning the stadium."

Has it been a Successful Season?

"Personally, that's my opinion. PSG has a great project and an outstanding team. They fell in the round of 16 in the Champions League but compared to us, it's David against Goliath. We have already spent 118 million Euros and we’ve shown already that we can go far with this amount of investment."

Competing with PSG

"Atlético de Madrid have reached the Champions League final several times without having the budget of Real Madrid or Barcelona, we know but it takes time."

The Transfer Window

"It's not easy to keep our great players but I'm happy to hear the players say they like Marseille. Rudi Garcia will coach OM next season. Dimitri Payet and Florian Thauvin will be there and we will try to strengthen the team. We will also evaluate our needs."

Relations with Jean-Michel Aulas

"We're talking to each other, we've had a disagreement. When I see something isn’t right, I fight it to be corrected. The chapter is closed. Jean-Michel Aulas and I are determined that Wednesday's final will be a party. I have a lot of respect for Jean-Michel Aulas. The controversy is behind us."

Les Olympiens supporters

"I have traveled all over France and Europe to follow OM and I saw very few incidents with our supporters. They are responsible and we are vigilant. The message is clear: go directly to the stadium and if you do not have a ticket, do not go. It must be a party. Football is not war.

"It makes me proud that the team brings the values ​​of solidarity to Marseille and beyond. This team is unique and very French. It's a French team supported by a lot of French people."

Finacial Fair-Play

"We talk with them. The important thing is to explain that the change of a primary shareholder generates investments. It is mandatory to record losses because there are a lot of investments, especially in the first two years."

On French Football

“It is experiencing a modernization. Some foreign investors have better understood the potential of football, especially in France. It takes quality investors to bring the French league to a higher level."

Youth Development

"Olympique Lyonnais is years ahead of us. We always have to come back to results for proof. Rudi Garcia gave a chance to young players like Boubacar Kamara and Maxime Lopez. We are trying to put development back at the heart of the project."

L’équipe de France

"Dimitri Payet has to have his place in the French team. Florian Thauvin has scored 22 goals in L1 this season, we have to go back to 1993 to see an Olympien score so many. I would like them to be on the World Cup list, they deserve it, but we will respect the selections of the coach."