Marseille's 'Champions Project' is proving slow to get going

PARIS (AP) - When American businessman Frank McCourt took over at Marseille a few months ago, his ambitious plan to bring the glory days back was confidently labelled the "Champions Project."

McCourt, the former owner of baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers, pledged to make the former European champions competitive on all fronts by investing 200 million euros ($210 million) over four years and by immediately hiring French coach Rudi Garcia.

Recent performances show that there is a long way to go before Marseille - Champions League winner in 1993 - can challenge in France, let alone Europe.

Wednesday's 4-3 loss to Monaco in the French Cup ended hopes of a trophy and highlighted ongoing problems in midfield and defense.

Those had already been glaringly exposed last Sunday, when Marseille was routed 5-1 at home by Paris Saint-Germain, and in mid-January when it lost 4-1 to Monaco.

Although Marseille's players showed commendable spirit against Monaco, their lack of organization and tactical discipline was staggering.

Especially with Garcia in charge.

Before coming to Marseille, Garcia coached at Roma for three years. Structured play, defensive rigor and meticulous organization are hallmarks of Italy's Serie A, and Garcia guided the club to 10 straight wins to open the 2013-14 campaign and finished runner-up in his first two seasons.

Garcia's Lille side was well-drilled when it won the league and French Cup double in 2011.

But either his methods are not working or Marseille needs an overhaul of players.

Both can be argued.

For Monaco's first goal on Wednesday, the players could not even form a proper wall, allowing Joao Moutinho's free kick easily through.

"There's no point making a wall if you're going to turn your back," an infuriated Garcia said.

For Monaco's winner, winger Remy Cabella carelessly lost possession and a quick counter attack ensued. Tactically, the team lined up in a 5-3-2 formation but there was not enough transition play from the fullbacks when pushing forward and there were gaps everywhere.

Garica also hinted that the more experienced players are not pulling their weight.

"We have players who are lacking in tactical awareness (and) others who should be guiding them," Garcia said.

Days earlier, non-existent marking gifted PSG its opening goal and Marseille's players constantly gave the ball away in midfield.

Garcia, hired in October, said it was "unacceptable to lose so heavily" against PSG.

To his credit, Garcia has nurtured 19-year-old midfielder Maxime Lopez into the side, a homegrown player who looks like a real talent. But anyone watching Marseille can see huge problems at the back.

Center halves Doria and Jorge Rolando are slow and easy to turn, while back up Rod Fanni is close to retirement age at 35.

In the absence of Lassana Diarra, who left by mutual consent, Marseille has sorely lacked a dependable holding midfielder. But in the January transfer window, Marseille purchased two attacking midfielders: Dimitri Payet from West Ham and Morgan Sanson from Montpellier.

Payet cost nearly 30 million euros ($31.6 million) and that money may well have been better spent elsewhere.

Although veteran left back Patrice Evra joined from Juventus, no center half was signed. Evra is 35 and it showed against PSG, where he was torn apart by right winger Lucas.

Furthermore, Marseille did not sign a recognized center forward in January.

This backfired when top scorer Bafetimbi Gomis picked up a knee injury last month. The sturdy Gomis has scored 16 league goals this season. He leads the line very well, offering the midfield a valuable outlet when holding the ball up back to goal and bringing others into play.

Against PSG, the ball kept pinging back every time it went forward, with no Gomis there to take the pressure off an overworked midfield by keeping possession.

Garcia also made another perceivable error, in taking the momentum away from his own team.

In late January, Marseille beat Montpellier 5-1 and then Lyon 2-1 in the cup. Confidence started filtering through to the players, perhaps hopeful that they were turning the corner.

But in the next game, Garcia rested half of his first team at Metz and lost 1-0.

Drastically rotating a team sometimes happens when top clubs are in contention at home and in Europe. But this was not the case for Marseille, which can ill afford to lose any momentum. Since that loss, Marseille has lost three out of five games.

With Marseille in seventh place and out of the cups, even qualifying for next season's Europa League looks like a long shot.

The "Champions Project" is still firmly on hold.