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Tapie — avowed to do Marseille proud
PARIS, May 24: In just five years busine ssman Bernard Tapie is on the verge of pulling off one
of the most unlikely coups of his career-turning Marseille, the black sheep of French soccer. into European champions reports Reutfer
Through soccer. Tapie who found feme and fortune by res cuing struggling firms restored some pride to Mar selfie creating a success story in an tafemous city The team town s economy and to start a political career
When he took over the club’s presidency tn 1966 the odds were stacked against him He was a^rich and trendy tog to a decaying port plagued by unemployment and a strong feeling of inferiority towards thr capital Since World War Two. 12 focal businessmen had sunk in achieving their lifetime drcam of chairing L'Olympique de Marseille LOm
Taplc's predecessor Jean Carrieu, president from 1981 to 1986. committed suicide 10 months after resigning because of poor results and bankruptcy
'I don t have the means to meet the demands of the club's tans." he wrote in his resignation letter
The local press was merci-leas on their team. the town s one and only pride
T have killed two presl-, dents.' boasted a veteran soc-
But Marseille s passion for their team — a 1989 poll showed LOm was the popula
Don s main concern — was
"Marseille has the passton and I have the money ' he said when taking over
On Tapie s arrival the
40.000 fans gathering weekly in the Stade Velodrome had httle to celebrate. Marseille had Just finished 17th tn the league after four years tn the Second Division.
L'Om waa then seen as a great side from the past. Yugoslav striker Josip Skoblar. who led the team to their first French league and Cup double in 1972. scoring 44 goals, was still a living legend. 14 years later
In 1986. the team was made of young local players dubbed "less minors' (the kids) coming mostly from the town s working class suburbs like most of their supporters, the "ultras.'
The town with no future was plagued by its past and a picturesque imagery For outsiders. Marseille was all about racism, gangster and lazy fish ermen drinking past Is In the old port
Tapie avowed to change It
all, with the help of a few big names and a natural gift for publicity.
In 1986. he brought in Michel Hidalgo, a national hero since leading France to Euro pean Championship victory in 1984. In 1990. hired Franz Beckenbauer, who ted just won the World Cup as West Germany's coach, only to replace him with Belgian Rey-mon Goethals three months later.
By 1990. Tapie had spent more than 400 millions franc (100 million dollars) on lesser known players, he made the right choices with the club landing their first league and Cup double since 1972 in 1989. He brought back Jean Perre Papin from exile in Belgium in 1986 The little known striker became France’s top marksman from 1988 to tills year
He spent 42 million franc (10 million dollars) on Eng-
land's Chris Waddle, within two seasons the former Tottenham winger showed he was worth the investment, he became Marseille's hero and a hot favourite for the European player of the year award in 1991.
Such publicity attracted local and national firms to the Stade Velodrome where they rent boxes for matches which have been turned into light shows with giant screens and fireworks.
Chairing L'Om also turned out to be an efficient political springboard.
T'm not the mayor of Mar sellle. I'm the mayor of L'Om' former French interior minister Gaston Deferre. who led the municipality for more than 40 years used to say.
Tuple took a strong stance against racism facing extreme rightwing leader Jean-Marie le Pen. very popular in Marseille.
in a TV talks show.
TWo years after taking over the club’s presidency, he was elected member of parliament in a Marseille area usually partial to Le Pen
In five years, the Stade Velodrome which Tuple wants to replace with a 80.000 capacity stadium In one of the pxrest parts of town, has become a melting pot for the different communities in Marseille. Many of the ultras are of north-African or Italian origin
From a distance, they can now catch a glimpse of politicians or movie stars such as Yves Montand and Jean Paul Belmondo. recently converted to the Om craze. But long serving fans still recall the old days before Tapie back in 1965. when only 464 watched Om play Forttech In a Second Division match.
I was there, claim thousands of veterans In the town's bars on a match day.