Pochettino has made room in the red-hot frying pan PSG
Mauricio pointed to the exit after a year and a half
Pochettino joined Paris Saint-Germain in early 2021. On the coaching bridge of the Parisians, the Argentine replaced Thomas Tuchel, who went to Chelsea and immediately won the Champions League. Mr. TT in Paris was “devoured” by Leonardo, who himself has already fallen victim to Mbappe’s new contract, suggesting a special role for Kylian in the club’s processes. PSG are now advised on sporting and strategic issues by Luis Campos, and the position of the Portuguese, with whom Mbappe crossed paths at Monaco, is called “strategic adviser”. The position of sports director after Leonardo’s departure is vacant.
Not surprisingly, Pochettino, who himself is a fairly mild and non-confrontational person, failed to gain a foothold in this serpentarium of like-minded people. Mauricio can’t shape his own workspace, he needs a supportive environment, and at PSG he had to participate in a parade of ambition and compete in coolness every day – with the players, the sporting director and the press. Pochettino was not up to it, the club did not try too hard to help the Argentine, moreover, Mauricio was written off months ago: it was hoped that he would agree with Manchester United and leave on his own to avoid paying compensation.
Pochettino’s fate was sealed after the departure from Real Madrid. Everything else is vanity
Facts and opinions surfacing after Mauricio’s departure suggest that the Argentine has been disillusioned for quite some time, but PSG made no sudden moves because the club received a share of criticism for Tuchel’s hasty dismissal, and the priority issue was the extension of Mbappe’s contract. We decided to build our future strategy based on whether Kylian stays or goes to Real.
Of course, it’s difficult to make progress with a coach who has been gently pushed by the club itself to leave in recent months: PSG were even willing to stand and smoke outside the door while Pochettino negotiated with Manchester United. I don’t think it was solely about money, especially since Pochettino had to pay in the end anyway. Most likely, the Parisians and their Qatari owners at some point realized that they need to take more care of their reputations, because the image of capricious rich people harms business and alienates the sporting goals.
And even in this situation Pochettino had the opportunity to change his fate and, perhaps, the fate of the club. All he had to do was succeed in the Champions League. However, it was just the opposite. His exit from Real Madrid was very painful, and after the match in Madrid Al Helaifi lost control of himself in the Santiago Bernabeu under the stands and did not suffer a long-term suspension only because of his friendship with UEFA president Cheferin. But the coach of the team that put him in such an embarrassing position, Nasser could no longer tolerate.
Zidane could have been the ideal coach for PSG, but his principles were opposed
The Emir of Qatar himself, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, wanted Zinedine Zidane as head coach of Paris Saint-Germain. And when people with that kind of money and influence want something, they usually get what they want. Kylian Mbappe’s new contract is proof of that. Unlike Pochettino, Zidane is able to build a workspace and a team of true supporters around himself: to encourage some, anger others, crush others with authority, and freeze out sycophants and dependants.
I have no doubt that Zizou would have made an ideal mentor for PSG, but he refused. I have no doubt that Zidane did so with all due respect and after listening to all the arguments from the other side. The Frenchman is well aware that the East is a delicate business, and refusing too categorically can make powerful enemies. At the same time, Zidane has never lived on a cloud and has his feet firmly on the ground. He understood that many people, including those close to him in his native Marseille and now native Madrid, would be upset by his association with PSG. I am 100% sure that Zidane is not in Paris now, just because he himself decided so, no matter how much Al-Khelaifi tries to impose his version:
We chose another option as the new coach – the best option for our tactical idea.
Christophe Galtier is the new coach of Paris Saint-Germain
After Zinedine Zidane’s rejection, PSG turned to other candidates, as a result, the Parisians agreed with Christophe Galtier, who signed a two-year contract. The 55-year-old reached the pinnacle of his coaching career in the 2020/21 season, which saw him win Ligue 1 with Lille, sensationally beating PSG. Interestingly, after winning the title, Galtier went to coach Nice, which he led to fifth place last season. Now he returns to the champion team, but to a different one.
Galtier is a respected coach in France, he spent 13 seasons at the highest level, working with Saint-Etienne, Lille and Nice. In 7 of his 13 seasons Christophe finished in the top 5 of Ligue 1, he has never been fired, his teams have discipline and the right working atmosphere, which is sorely lacking at PSG. True, and with so many cranky stars Galtier will face for the first time in his coaching career. The Frenchman looks like a coach who can establish absolute hegemony on the domestic scene, but PSG wants European greatness, and Christophe has never been friendly with the European Cups.
Galtier has never made it past the first round of the playoffs (1/16 finals) in the Europa League, and his only season in his coaching career in the Champions League was a disaster: in the 2019/20 season, Lille suffered five losses and one draw in the group stage. Thus, the new coach of PSG has 0 wins and 5 defeats in six Champions League games. This tournament, as we know, does not like newcomers and losers. Galtier is a great coach by French standards, tough and demanding, but he comes to a complex and problematic team, where he will face many surprises. Nice and not so nice.
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