Rolland Courbis, a passionate figure in French soccer, dies at 72

PARIS (AP) - Former Marseille coach Rolland Courbis, a charismatic figure of French soccer who became a prominent pundit, has died. He was 72.

RMC radio, Courbis' employer, did not disclose on Monday the cause of death in a statement released in agreement with Courbis' family.

Born in Marseille, Courbis came through the club's academy. A rugged defender, he was part of the team that won the French league and cup double in 1972 and returned to the club in the late 1990s as coach.

As a player, he also won two French league titles and a French Cup with Monaco.

"A Marseillais at heart, he embodied popular, dynamic football. His unmistakable accent carried his frank, direct, often passionate and always sincere words," Marseille said in a tribute.

Courbis enjoyed a much-traveled coaching career with spells in France and abroad, notably at Bordeaux, Lens, Montpellier and the USM Alger.

Among the many defining moments of his career was a stunning comeback he oversaw when coaching Marseille. His team found itself 4-0 down at home to Montpellier in 1998 but fought back to seal a remarkable 5-4 victory.

Courbis had a taste for casino gambling and lived with an Italian countess for a while and led a tumultuous life. He was shot and seriously wounded in 1996 when gunmen fatally shot the president of a French club outside a stadium. Courbis was also involved in legal cases and sentenced to prison.

France coach Didier Deschamps said that with Courbis' death French soccer lost "a fine connoisseur of football and its inner workings, but also of the game itself."

"He was a true passionate figure. And in recent years, he chose to pass on that passion behind a microphone, with a turn of phrase all his own."

Since 2005 he had been a consultant on RMC, where he commented on football news.

"His passion came through in his trademark Marseille accent and in a very direct rapport with listeners," RMC said. "A freedom of tone that kept the language of the supporters, while sharing their questions and emotions. He was particularly successful in remaining approachable and warm, while still being demanding on substance."