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Agence France Presse -- English
January 17, 2007 Wednesday 2:36 PM GMT
Football: North American soccer revolution hits France
Barnaby Chesterman
North American businessman Jack Kachkar is on the verge of buying
fallen European giants Marseille and potentially heralding a new era
in the troubled club's history.
Marseille have long been a team in turmoil since their heady days of
the early 1990s when they became the first - and as yet only - French
team to lift the Champions League.
Rather than defending their title - claimed with a 1-0 victory over
AC Milan - a bribery scandal saw the team demoted to the French
second division and they have never regained their former stature.
Current owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus came in to apparently save the day
10 years ago but a decade on, Marseille are still far from reigning
supreme at home, let alone in Europe.
Two UEFA Cup finals in the last 10 years and an agonising last day
defeat in the 1998-99 championship race, when Bordeaux scored a last
second winning goal at Paris St Germain to snatch the title from
under Marseille's noses, represents failure as far as the demanding
Marseille public is concerned.
And so enter a North American multi-millionaire to try to restore the
Mediterranean outfit to past glories.
Following hot on the heels of Malcolm Glazer at Manchester United and
Randy Lerner at Aston Villa, Canadian Kachkar is determined to dip
into the European football market.
But why is this Canadian of Armenian Catholtic origin - who was born
in Syria and raised briefly in Lebanon - planning to invest 115
million euros in the most popular team in France?
"First and foremost my family and I love France," he said. "In the
last five years we have spent every summer in the south of France.
"Hence, for a long time I have watched Marseille matches. It's a
great club with enormous potential and incredible supporters."
Most mega-rich businessmen, such as Chelsea's Russian owner Roman
Abramovich, seem to plump for the glamour and glitz of the English
Premiership, but Kachkar - whose original name was Kachkarian -
admits he does not operate in the same financial sphere as Abramovich
or Glazer.
"You know, Manchester United would cost one billion dollars (773
million euros). That's too much for my wallet," he said.
"And then there's my love for France and Marseille which tempted me
in this direction."
Despite bringing his millions to the club, providing the sale does
not hit any last minute hitches, there is still no guarantee that
Kachkar can deliver success.
Louis-Dreyfus spent 200 million euros during his 10-year tenure and
has not a single recognisable trophy to show for it.
Tellingly, though, he went through four different presidents and 15
coaches during that time, whereas dominant champions Lyon have had
just one president and three coaches in the same period.
Kachkar is determined not to make the same mistakes.
"I don't intend to change things. Now would not be the right time
because the club is in a positive state and it is important to
conserve that. The management is good and I don't like change for the
sake of change."
Marseille have had an inconsistent campaign, dazzling in the early
season to top the table after six matches but then hitting a
prolongued slump during which they won only twice in 10 league games.
However they have picked up again, winning three of their last four
and sit third in the table, only three points behind second-placed
Lens but a massive 17 points adrift of runaway leaders Lyon.
They came through the Inter-Toto Cup to reach the UEFA Cup proper but
were knoacked out early by Slovakia's Mlada Boleslav.
Their return to form in the league has coincided with the return from
injury of on-loan Liverpool forward Djibril Cisse, who has scored
five goals in five games.
January 17, 2007 Wednesday 2:36 PM GMT
Football: North American soccer revolution hits France
Barnaby Chesterman
North American businessman Jack Kachkar is on the verge of buying
fallen European giants Marseille and potentially heralding a new era
in the troubled club's history.
Marseille have long been a team in turmoil since their heady days of
the early 1990s when they became the first - and as yet only - French
team to lift the Champions League.
Rather than defending their title - claimed with a 1-0 victory over
AC Milan - a bribery scandal saw the team demoted to the French
second division and they have never regained their former stature.
Current owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus came in to apparently save the day
10 years ago but a decade on, Marseille are still far from reigning
supreme at home, let alone in Europe.
Two UEFA Cup finals in the last 10 years and an agonising last day
defeat in the 1998-99 championship race, when Bordeaux scored a last
second winning goal at Paris St Germain to snatch the title from
under Marseille's noses, represents failure as far as the demanding
Marseille public is concerned.
And so enter a North American multi-millionaire to try to restore the
Mediterranean outfit to past glories.
Following hot on the heels of Malcolm Glazer at Manchester United and
Randy Lerner at Aston Villa, Canadian Kachkar is determined to dip
into the European football market.
But why is this Canadian of Armenian Catholtic origin - who was born
in Syria and raised briefly in Lebanon - planning to invest 115
million euros in the most popular team in France?
"First and foremost my family and I love France," he said. "In the
last five years we have spent every summer in the south of France.
"Hence, for a long time I have watched Marseille matches. It's a
great club with enormous potential and incredible supporters."
Most mega-rich businessmen, such as Chelsea's Russian owner Roman
Abramovich, seem to plump for the glamour and glitz of the English
Premiership, but Kachkar - whose original name was Kachkarian -
admits he does not operate in the same financial sphere as Abramovich
or Glazer.
"You know, Manchester United would cost one billion dollars (773
million euros). That's too much for my wallet," he said.
"And then there's my love for France and Marseille which tempted me
in this direction."
Despite bringing his millions to the club, providing the sale does
not hit any last minute hitches, there is still no guarantee that
Kachkar can deliver success.
Louis-Dreyfus spent 200 million euros during his 10-year tenure and
has not a single recognisable trophy to show for it.
Tellingly, though, he went through four different presidents and 15
coaches during that time, whereas dominant champions Lyon have had
just one president and three coaches in the same period.
Kachkar is determined not to make the same mistakes.
"I don't intend to change things. Now would not be the right time
because the club is in a positive state and it is important to
conserve that. The management is good and I don't like change for the
sake of change."
Marseille have had an inconsistent campaign, dazzling in the early
season to top the table after six matches but then hitting a
prolongued slump during which they won only twice in 10 league games.
However they have picked up again, winning three of their last four
and sit third in the table, only three points behind second-placed
Lens but a massive 17 points adrift of runaway leaders Lyon.
They came through the Inter-Toto Cup to reach the UEFA Cup proper but
were knoacked out early by Slovakia's Mlada Boleslav.
Their return to form in the league has coincided with the return from
injury of on-loan Liverpool forward Djibril Cisse, who has scored
five goals in five games.