Marseille to Investigate SO Caillols Facilities After Eric Cantona Outcry
Marseille city hall has said it will examine the structural problems at SO Caillols in the coming weeks after Eric Cantona publicly condemned the conditions at his former youth club.
What we know
- Cantona, 58, returned to the amateur Marseille side where he played as a youngster and filmed flooded changing rooms, damaged equipment and deteriorating facilities.
- The club’s synthetic pitch is 15 years old and has reportedly deteriorated to the point where it is considered unsafe for children.
- During his video tour, the former Manchester United forward highlighted standing water, leaking water heaters, unusable toilets and missing shower heads.
- Cantona warned that poor hygiene could expose young players to fungal infections. He said the floor remained covered in water despite having been cleaned three days earlier.
- He also stressed football’s educational value in the community, saying amateur clubs help develop people as well as players.
- Club president Christine Crimi said warnings over the condition of the site have been made for five years without a solution.
City hall review is the immediate next step
The dispute has become tied to local politics. Marseille’s deputy for sport, Eric Mery, has blamed a previous sector mayor for failing to maintain decentralised facilities.
Crimi said city hall is focusing on stadium projects in northern districts. She supports investment in those areas but believes it cannot leave SO Caillols without safe facilities.
Officials at central city hall have now promised a review of the club’s structural issues. Until action follows, SO Caillols youth sides are still using a damaged artificial surface and dressing rooms affected by flooding.
