Marseille president Vincent Labrune has played down suggestions he may punish coach Marcelo Bielsa following his criticism of the club, despite being urged to do so by former OM chief Bernard Tapie.
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Bielsa accused the Ligue 1 outfit's board of lying to him about how the club would progress in the coming season, particularly with reference to their summer transfer activity.
The Argentine, who was only appointed in May, said he had had a list of targets he had given the club, only for them to ignore his demands and bring in players whose arrivals he had not sanctioned.
Bielsa insisted he would remain in his role, despite the criticism of his bosses, but Labrune has admitted he is now thinking about which course of action -- if any -- to take against his coach.
"I'm mulling it over. My personal case is not important. If we win, everyone will be happy," Labrune, who is on a break during international week, told Journal du Dimanche. "I haven't had a holiday for a year. I'm not going to cancel everything because of this. I know the character. He's faithful to his reputation, I'm not surprised."
On the pitch, Bielsa's men have endured a mixed start to the Ligue 1 campaign, picking up seven points from their opening four matches, although victories in the last two games had appeared to have eased the tension at the Stade Velodrome.
Labrune and Bielsa are scheduled to meet to discuss matters on Sept. 15.
And former Marseille president Bernard Tapie has told L'Equipe that Labrune should show no mercy to the coach for what he considers to be gross insubordination.
"What Bielsa did was a big mistake. It's time for Labrune to act," said Tapie, whose controversial reign at the helm of the club coincided with their 1992-93 Champions League win. "Even the best coach in the world, which he isn't, would never have allowed himself to express himself like that. Bielsa has a big mouth. But it would be good if he also had the rest, and that he left.
"I hope that he's going to get rid of Bielsa for the sake of the club's dignity, for what OM represents. If he wants to show that he's a president, he has to fire him."