Former Premier League striker Demba Ba has left his position as sporting director at Le Harve just months into his tenure, with the Ligue 1 outfit currently languishing at the bottom of the table. His departure comes during a period of major upheaval after the club's American owners, Blue Crow Sports Group, sacked head coach Didier Digard. That decision triggered the resignation of president Jean-Michel Roussier, prompting Ba to also step down according to a report by L'Equipe.
The sudden exit halts a project Ba had approached with major ambition, having grown up in Le Harve and brought staff members with him from his former club Dunkerque. Working with a reported transfer budget of around €2 million, the ex-Senegal forward had spoken enthusiastically about unlocking the potential of France's oldest club: “The room for improvement at clubs is enormous. I think they are only operating at 50 per cent of their potential because, if you do not win, you are out. Everything is immediate. But to win, you have to build. It is a paradox.” He also highlighted the club's prestigious academy, while noting that player progress was hampered by "terrible pitches."
The departures of Digard and Roussier directly fractured the setup that drew Ba to the club in the first place. Reflecting on his relationships with the pair, Ba previously stated: “The president convinced me. He spoke honestly and has no filter. I love that because it saves me time. Without Didier, I do not know whether I would have come. I see him in a similar way: honest, direct and competent.” Despite the French club's struggles, Ba had shown immense dedication to his recruitment duties, once explaining: “My phone is always on. It is possible that I will make a call at two in the morning. The people working with me also sleep three hours. We need to be capable of putting in the hours.”
Although his time in France has ended prematurely, the setback is unlikely to stop Ba from continuing his career in player recruitment. He moved into the administrative side of the game following an impressive playing career, which began in England with West Ham after signing from Hoffenheim. Following a failed medical at Stoke, he starred for Newcastle United, scoring 16 goals to guide Alan Pardew's side to a fifth-place finish before later shifting to the left wing to accommodate Papiss Demba Cisse. After another 13 goals on Tyneside, a release clause sent him to Chelsea, where he famously scored against Liverpool following Steven Gerrard's slip and struck against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.