Jean-Jacques Eydelie

Infobox Football biography
playername = Jean-Jacques Eydelie


fullname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1966|2|3
cityofbirth = Angouleme
countryofbirth = France
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
nickname =
position = Midfielder
currentclub = Limoges (Manager)
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1984-1992 1986-1987 1987-1988 1992-1993 1993-1994 1994-1995 1995-1997 1997-1999 1998 1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2003
clubs = Nantes → Laval "(loan)" → Tours "(loan)" Marseille Suspended Benfica Bastia Sion → Walsall "(loan)" FC Zurich Avranches Beaucaire
caps(goals) = 27 (0) 11 (0)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
manageryears = 2006-
managerclubs = Limoges

Jean-Jacques Eydelie (born 3 February 1966) is a French former footballer most noted for his role in the Marseille match-fixing scandal of 1993cite web|url=http://www.eurosport.com/football/sport_sto817893.shtml|title=Wenger slams former Marseille Chairman|date=2006-01-23|accessdate=2007-03-12|work=Eurosport] . A midfielder, Eydelie began his career with Nantes, before joining Marseille in 1992. His first season at Marseille was a success, with the club finishing top of the league, and winning the Champions League, but shortly after the match (in which Eydelie appeared as a substitute), it was revealed that he had contacted three players at Ligue 1 club Valenciennes (Jorge Burruchagacite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE7D61F3DF931A35754C0A965958260|work-New York Times|date=1993-07-02|accessdate=2007-03-12|title=Argentine Charged in Marseille case|work=New York Times] , Christophe Robert and Jacques Glassmancite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/1995/03/14/tapie.php|title=Tapie Directly Implicated As Marseille Trial Opens|work=International Herald Tribute|date=1995-03-14|accessdate=2007-03-12] ) on behalf of the Marseille board, in order to offer bribes. Marseille needed to beat Valenciennes to secure the championship, and had induced the Valenciennes players to "go easy" in order that the Marseille players would not be overly exerted before the Champions League finalcite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/1993/07/12/soccer_7.php|work=International Herald Tribune|title=From Glory to Disgrace: Soccer Saga Grips Marseille|date=1992-07-12|accessdate=2007-03-12] . It was Glassman who reported the bribe, which resulted in Marseille being stripped of the 1993 French title, banned from defending the Champions League (although the win still stood), and relegated to Ligue 2. Eydelie was banned for a year by FIFA, given a one year suspended sentence, and served 17 days in prison. Members of the Marseille board were given longer prison sentences, and Valenciennes players Burruchaga and Robert received FIFA bans for their involvement. Upon his return to football, Eydelie had a nomadic career, playing in Portugal, England, Switzerland and back in France before retiring in 2003. In 2006 he was appointed manager of amateur club Limoges Foot 87.

In 2006, Eydelie released his autobiography, telling of corruption and doping during his time at Marseille. Former OM chairman Bernard Tapie sued unsuccessfully for libelcite web|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=356021&|title=Former Marseille chairman to sue ex-player for libel|date=2006-01-22|accessdate=2007-03-12|work=ESPN Soccernet] (which he is planning to appeal), and former team mate Didier Deschamps has also threatened legal action.cite web|url=http://france.worldcupblog.org/group-g/dishing-the-dirt.html|title=Dishing the Dirt|work=World Cup Blog|date=2006-02-17|accessdate=2007-03-12]

Honours

* UEFA Champions League: 1993

References