John Mann, Tyler Martin boost Marseille squad

© waterpolophoto.com

With American centre-forward John Mann another player leaves the squad of two-time Serbian champion Red Star (Crvena zvezda) Belgrade. The Team USA captain this week confirmed he will be playing for ambitious French side C.N. Marseille next year after Mann spent the past season as part of the squad that won its second straight Serbian national championship, national cup and claimed the European Super Cup.Financial difficulties however forced the club to let most of their players go which included starters like Andrija Prlainović, Nikola Radjen, Boris Vapenski, Marko Avramović and fellow centre-forward Nikola Vukčević, but except Serbia international Sava Randjelovic and the Rasovic brothers Viktor and Strahinja who reportedly will be present for the team, along with coach Dejan Savic, next season. American centre-forward Mann joined the squad after the departure of Serbian international Dusko Pijetlovic to Sintez Kazan and quickly developed into an integral part of the team that repeated all but their European club championship trophy.

Meanwhile Mann joins left-hander Ugo Crousillat who earlier announced his return to his former club coming over from Brescia with whom he finished fifth in the Champions League Final Six and runner-up in the Italian championships last season. French second-ranked side Marseille also signed Australia international Tyler Martin who leaves Hungarian side FTC after one season in which he, together with fellow countrymen Aidan Roach and centre-forward Joel Swift, emerged as standouts of the team that eventually finished 9th in the Hungarian league play-offs.

Marseille last year lost a dramatic penalty shoot-out to Montpellier 17-16 in the final of the French championship Final Four in Montpellier.


Tyler Martin while playing for FTC. Photograph: fradi.hu.