During an interview with the media Carré, Rudi Garcia looked back on his time at OM, between 2016 and 2019. The technician first explained how it started: “Jacques-Henri Eyraud called me following the buyout to tell me about the new project. At first I was skeptical and not convinced, but I studied the offer anyway. What held me back was the volcanic aspect which characterizes the club”he confided.
“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced this anywhere else”
Garcia believes that Frank McCourt's communication made his task more complicated: “The communication displayed publicly around the Champion's project did not help us. You can be ambitious but it's better to display your ambitions internally. » Its beginnings were correct: “The first season is good. I have a Lassana Diarra who was leaving at the time, but I especially had two players who were pulling the team along: Flo Thauvin and Bafé Gomis. »
The former Marseille coach then failed to win the Champions League. However, he took his team to the final of the Europa League in 2018: “I don’t think I’ve ever experienced this anywhere else. For that alone, I am happy to have moved to Olympique de Marseille. (…) We had experienced an incredible human adventure with the whole group”he added.
In total, Rudi Garcia spent 142 matches on the OM bench, for 69 wins, 31 draws and 42 defeats. The native of Nemours particularly experienced great difficulties in pressure matches. He did not achieve his objectives during his last season, despite the large resources spent over three years.
Garcia subsequently joined Lyon, which was not digested by many supporters.
