Christophe Galtier: PSG’s next victim?

At the beginning of this month, Christophe Galtier was officially named the next manager of Paris Saint-Germain, taking over from the departing Mauricio Pochettino.

The Frenchman has signed a two-year deal with the Parisian giants, having just guided his former club Nice to an impressive fifth-placed finish in Ligue 1 last season.

Galtier was the bane of PSG in Pochettino’s first year in charge, as his Lille side snatched the title away from them in 2020-21, and seemingly marking the beginning of the end for the Argentinian at the club, whose failure to return the league title to Paris undoubtedly brought unwanted pressure.

It is perhaps ironic then that Galtier takes over from the former Tottenham man a year later, with PSG once again French champions.

Pochettino leaves the club with a 65% win record, the highest percentage he has attained at any club in his managerial career, but failure to make it past the round of 16 in the Champions League is surely what sealed his fate.

I wrote an article 18 months ago, following the 50-year-old’s appointment, in which I described the ‘marriage’ as a poisonous one, as the styles of the two parties simply didn’t seem to fit – Poch had built his reputation at Spurs through patience and persistence, gradually crafting and moulding a team that could really challenge at the top level over several years at the helm. PSG do not afford managers that kind of time and support.

And so it proved, as Pochettino was ultimately not given the time he perhaps required to get the most out of his side. That being said, the move to replace him with Galtier is a wise one.

it will be a truly impressive feat if he can avoid the same fate that has fallen the six coaches that have been axed following the Qatari takeover of the club

Several superstars of the side are aging and approaching the twilights of their dazzling careers, and those that do still have time on their side are not guaranteed to stay for more than a few seasons.

Now, more than ever, PSG need instant success, and Galtier has shown that he can get a tune out of a team in a short period of time.

PSG have all the tools required to put together an assault on the Champions League title – a lethal attack, a dynamic and tenacious midfield, and a solid defence to boot – they just need the right man to harness that incredible power – Galtier could be the answer.

However, the talent on the pitch is not all Galtier is being greeted with. The fans have butted heads with the project more than once recently, booing the likes of Neymar and Lionel Messi. The dressing room is as volatile as any club in the world, with Kylian Mbappe’s new contract and its stipulations likely causing something of a stir within the player base. This job will be far from plain sailing for the Frenchman.

Establishing control over the players will likely be Galtier’s first priority, as rumours that Mbappe holds more power than anybody else at the club will no doubt cause greater issues behind the scenes.

Getting the most out of Messi will also be at the front of Galtier’s thoughts, as a disappointing first season in the French capital (by Messi’s ungodly standards, that is) means he will surely be anxious to make amends in the 2022-23 season.

It will be interesting to see how the former Lille boss approaches the task at hand, and it will be a truly impressive feat if he can avoid the same fate that has fallen the six coaches that have been axed following the Qatari takeover of the club in 2011.