Eric Roy on Roberto De Zerbi: “Is it an achievement to finish 2nd with Marseille?” | OneFootball

There were some raised eyebrows when the UNFP awards revealed their nominees for coach of the year, with Olympique de Marseille’s Roberto De Zerbi conspicuously absent from the shortlist.

The nominees, which are selected via votes from the players’ union, put forward Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain), Liam Rosenior (RC Strasbourg Alsace), Eric Roy (Stade Brestois), and Bruno Génésio (Lille OSC).

The award would eventually go to Luis Enrique, whose PSG side remain on course for an unprecedented treble with the Coupe de France final set to take place on the 24th of May, and the Champions League final on the 31st.

Eric Roy explains why he didn’t vote for Roberto De Zerbi

On RMC Sport’s after show, Roy explained why he chose not to vote for De Zerbi in his list, instead opting to put forward Luis Enrique, Liam Rosenior, and Bruno Génésio. The Brest head coach said, “De Zerbi had the misfortune that at the time we voted, they were in a hole.”

Marseille had lost five games in a row during the second half of the season, which saw their grip on second under threat. Roy continued, “They had lost the advantage they had. They were going through a bad period. They had lost against Strasbourg at that time [note: Marseille drew this game 1-1]. There were several defeats at the Vélodrome.”

Roy, a former Marseille player, finished his point by saying, “Is it an achievement to finish 2nd with Marseille? I don’t know. It’s a real question.”

GFFN | Nick Hartland