Marseille hire Fernandez

The 50-year-old replaces Phillipe Troussier, who was dismissed on June 2 after a poor run at the end of last season which meant Marseille finished fifth and failed to qualify for the Champions League or UEFA Cup.

Fernandez played for Marseille from 1975 to 1980 and was briefly the team's coach from July to November 1992 - six months before they became European champions. He has also had stints in charge at Cannes, Nice, Lille and Sochaux.

"For Marseille, the goal is to play in the Champions League or in Europe (the UEFA Cup)," Fernandez told Reuters. "But the most important thing is to restore credibility in their game and become competitive again in the (French) championship, which was not the case at the end of last season."

Fernandez said he had not yet been set any objectives by the management of the club where he won the French Cup as a player in 1976.

"In football you can never guess anything. You know it's difficult at Marseille. The most important thing is to prepare well and get a good start to the season. After that things are easier," he said.

Hailing the atmosphere in the Mediterranean club's Velodrome stadium, he said: "It's always special when you return to Marseille. It's the capital of football. What you see in the Velodrome, you don't see anywhere else."

Although he also played at Bordeaux and Cannes, where he helped launch the career of former French international Zinedine Zidane, Fernandez made clear his first love is Marseille.

"Olympique Marseille has always made me dream. I was a player and coach there. Returning is a source of great pride and I am really happy," he said.