Former Marseille president Bernard Tapie has questioned whether Didier Deschamps is the right man to lead the club.
Despite reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League, Marseille are experiencing a miserable run of domestic form.
A draw at Nice at the weekend followed five straight defeats and they were also dumped out of the Coupe de France by Championnat side US Quevilly.
Former France international Deschamps has been OM manager since summer 2009 but he is under pressure with the club languishing in ninth, 10 points off a guaranteed Europa League spot.
Tapie, club president from 1986 to 1994, told L'Equipe: "From the outside, I do not think the club is like him.
"There is an identification problem. Something is wrong. It is hard to coach players that he has not chosen. On the other hand, with the ones he did (choose) it has not been successful."
Tapie, though, does not lay all the blame for Marseille's current predicament at Deschamps' door, singling out Steve Mandanda, Andre Ayew and Loic Remy as the only international class players.
He added: "OM are not a great team, they deserve no better than ninth place.
"I do not think the coach is the problem."
Of current president Vincent Labrune, Tapie said: "We must stop installing puppet presidents. He is a lovely guy. He has charisma but he does not fit the profile. It's too bad for him."
