North American soccer revolution hits France

Canadian businessman Jack Kachkar, seen here in Paris, is on the verge of buying fallen European giants Marseille and potentially heralding a new era in the troubled club's history.

North American businessman Jack Kachkar is on the verge of buying fallen European giants Marseille and potentially heralding a new era in the troubled club's history.

Marseille have long been a team in turmoil since their heady days of the early 1990s when they became the first - and as yet only - French team to lift the Champions League.

Rather than defending their title - claimed with a 1-0 victory over AC Milan - a bribery scandal saw the team demoted to the French second division and they have never regained their former stature.

Current owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus came in to apparently save the day 10 years ago but a decade on, Marseille are still far from reigning supreme at home, let alone in Europe.

Two UEFA Cup finals in the last 10 years and an agonising last day defeat in the 1998-99 championship race, when Bordeaux scored a last second winning goal at Paris St Germain to snatch the title from under Marseille's noses, represents failure as far as the demanding Marseille public is concerned.

North American businessman Jack Kachkar is on the verge of buying fallen European giants Marseille and potentially heralding a new era in the troubled club's history.

And so enter a North American multi-millionaire to try to restore the Mediterranean outfit to past glories.

Following hot on the heels of Malcolm Glazer at Manchester United and Randy Lerner at Aston Villa, Canadian Kachkar is determined to dip into the European football market.

But why is this Canadian of Armenian Catholtic origin - who was born in Syria and raised briefly in Lebanon - planning to invest 115 million euros in the most popular team in France?

"First and foremost my family and I love France," he said. "In the last five years we have spent every summer in the south of France.

"Hence, for a long time I have watched Marseille matches. It's a great club with enormous potential and incredible supporters."

Most mega-rich businessmen, such as Chelsea's Russian owner Roman Abramovich, seem to plump for the glamour and glitz of the English Premiership, but Kachkar - whose original name was Kachkarian - admits he does not operate in the same financial sphere as Abramovich or Glazer.

Canadian businessman Jack Kachkar, president of pharmaceutical firm Inyx, had made an offer of between 100 and 150 million euros to buy the shares of French first division soccer club Marseille's major shareholder and former president Robert Louis-Dreyfus, seen here in 2006.

"You know, Manchester United would cost one billion dollars (773 million euros). That's too much for my wallet," he said.

"And then there's my love for France and Marseille which tempted me in this direction."

Despite bringing his millions to the club, providing the sale does not hit any last minute hitches, there is still no guarantee that Kachkar can deliver success.

Louis-Dreyfus spent 200 million euros during his 10-year tenure and has not a single recognisable trophy to show for it.

Tellingly, though, he went through four different presidents and 15 coaches during that time, whereas dominant champions Lyon have had just one president and three coaches in the same period.

Kachkar is determined not to make the same mistakes.

"I don't intend to change things. Now would not be the right time because the club is in a positive state and it is important to conserve that. The management is good and I don't like change for the sake of change."

Pape Diouf, president of the Olympique de Marseille football soccer club addresses a press conference 16 January 2007 in Marseille, southern France, after Canadian industrial Jack Kachkar confirmed today, that he made a serious offer to purchase the French First Division club.

Marseille have had an inconsistent campaign, dazzling in the early season to top the table after six matches but then hitting a prolongued slump during which they won only twice in 10 league games.

However they have picked up again, winning three of their last four and sit third in the table, only three points behind second-placed Lens but a massive 17 points adrift of runaway leaders Lyon.

They came through the Inter-Toto Cup to reach the UEFA Cup proper but were knoacked out early by Slovakia's Mlada Boleslav.

Their return to form in the league has coincided with the return from injury of on-loan Liverpool forward Djibril Cisse, who has scored five goals in five games.