Marseille have appointed former captain Habib Beye as head coach, the club confirmed on Wednesday, just over a week after he was sacked by Ligue 1 rivals Rennes.
The move ends lingering speculation that Beye’s ex-colleague on the pitch, Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle, could have landed the coveted Marseille job.
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Had Chelle been chosen, it would have created a dilemma for Nigeria and the NFF, potentially forcing the national team to lose its coach mid-campaign.
Instead, the opportunity goes to Beye, 48, who now takes the reins following Roberto De Zerbi’s departure after a crushing 5-0 loss to rivals Paris Saint-Germain.
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Beye inherits a Marseille side currently fourth in Ligue 1 with 12 games left; five points behind third-placed Lyon and 12 off leaders Lens. With the top three spots securing Champions League football and fourth offering entry via the third qualifying round, the stakes are high as he aims to restore the club’s European ambitions.
He will be officially unveiled on Thursday, with his first match in charge away to Brest on Friday. Marseille, knocked out of this season’s Champions League group stage on the final day, are also through to the French Cup quarterfinals.
Beye’s deep ties to Marseille make him a familiar figure in the French city. The former Senegal international played for the club from 2003 to 2007, featuring alongside Didier Drogba in the 2004 UEFA Cup final. His professional career also included Strasbourg, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and Doncaster Rovers.
ALSO READ: Why Eric Chelle cannot leave Nigeria now
As a coach, Beye spent just over a year at Rennes, previously managed lower-league Red Star, and became a respected voice as a pundit on French television. “His deep attachment to Olympique de Marseille and his intimate knowledge of the environment in Marseille can be major assets in taking the club to the next step,” the club said, without disclosing contract length.
The announcement comes shortly after Rennes finalised Beye’s severance and named Franck Haise as his replacement. Haise, 54, who led Lens to the Champions League group stage in 2023/24, signed a contract until 2027 and returns to Rennes after a six-year spell developing talent in the club’s academy.
For Nigeria, the outcome is bittersweet. While the Super Eagles retain Eric Chelle, avoiding disruption ahead of upcoming national duties, the missed opportunity underscores the rising global profile of Nigerian coaches and their capacity to compete for top European roles. Beye’s success in Marseille could further raise the bar and shine a spotlight on African coaching talent in elite European football.
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