Marseille take chance on Bonnissel
Friday, January 6, 2006
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The 32-year-old former Montpellier HSC player Jérôme Bonnissel has joined Olympique de Marseille for the rest of the season to fill a gap at left-back.
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The 32-year-old Frenchman is set to stand in for youngster Taye Taiwo who will be on duty at the African Cup of Nations with the Nigerian national team. "The player passed his medical tests on Friday morning and put pen to his contract just afterwards," said a club statement.
Free agent
Bonnissel had been out of contract since leaving Premiership side Fulham FC at the end of last season. He impressed Marseille during a trial game on 30 December, showing glimpses of the impressive form that saw him thrive at Montpellier in the early 1990s.
Priceless experience
He subsequently played for RC Deportivo La Coruña, FC Girondins de Bordeaux and Rangers FC and Marseille coach Jean Fernandez is convinced that his European pedigree will stand Bonnissel in good stead. "He's fit and his experience compensates for the fact that he has not played for almost a year," he said.