Julien Laurens believes that the decision to appoint Jean-Louis Gasset as manager could potentially result in a catastrophic outcome for Marseille.

TNT Sports expert Julien Laurens has expressed concerns over Jean-Louis Gasset’s appointment as Marseille manager, suggesting that it “could be an absolute disaster”.

Marseille currently sit in ninth place in Ligue 1, six points away from the European spots. Gennaro Gattuso was recently relieved of his duties after only managing nine wins in his 24 games in charge.

Gasset, who was dismissed by Cote d’Ivoire during the Africa Cup of Nations, where they went on to win the tournament, is no stranger to chaos. He was sacked midway through the tournament following a 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea.

Marseille will face Shakhtar Donetsk in their UEFA Europa League play-off, with the tie evenly balanced after a 2-2 draw in Hamburg.

Speaking on the TNT Sports Goal Show, Laurens suggested that Marseille were only looking for an interim coach to see out the season. He explained, “I think they were just looking for an interim coach until the end of the season. They wanted someone French, ruling out someone like Christophe Galtier, who they want for next season and is currently in Qatar. Gasset has accepted a four-month contract, similar to Rudi Garcia.”

Laurens also expressed confusion over the situation at Marseille, noting that many of those in power at the club have ties to long-term rival Saint-Etienne. “One of the directors, Stephane Tessier, is a Saint-Etienne guy. He worked with Gasset at Saint-Etienne. There are a lot of former Saint-Etienne people and directors in Marseille right now, which is quite ironic considering the rivalry between the two clubs. But they picked Gasset, who did quite well at Saint-Etienne, taking them to fourth place in the full season he had at the club.”

The decision to appoint Gasset has left many Marseille fans unhappy, with Laurens suggesting that it could lead to disaster. Marseille currently find themselves in a precarious position, sitting ninth in the table and six points behind fifth place. European qualification is crucial for the club, and they will be hoping that Gasset can guide them to success.