Business follows one another around the club of the capital and its coach would like to “refocus” the discussions around the ground before the Classic.
From the Mbappé psychodrama to sand yachting, passing through the penaltygate, the Campos/Henrique quarrel, the bickering within the women’s team and now “the digital army“, PSG has been regularly on the front of the stage since the start of the season. “You have to have mastery and experience, a certain age, to manage all this as well as possible.“, underlines Christophe Galtier, Parisian coach since the beginning of July. A pressure for which the 56-year-old technician, previously on the benches of Saint-Etienne, Lille and Nice, had prepared, even if he recognizes that it is “Very peculiar“. Above all, he regrets that football is only rarely at the heart of everyone’s concerns, and in this case of journalists. This is the meaning of his rant this Friday, two days before the clash against OM, “a fucking high peak, the game that everyone is waiting for in the championship».
«What I want to say is that you never talk to me about footballhe launched to the journalists, in a press conference. I am the coach of PSG, I am proud of it, happy, I was very happy when I was appointed. And I realize match after match, press conference after press conference, that we have to talk about 1 minute 30 minutes of football over 10-15 minutes of conference. And whatever I may say, you don’t believe me since you write or say the opposite. When I tell you that so and so is fine, things are going well in the locker room, that they get along well, that they are serious, professional, united, nobody is interested, we write something else. (…) I have plenty of faults but I am very honest, I am not lying to you. When I say things, it’s because it’s true. But when I say things, there is nothing in the press, we go on to other things. We even go to the opposite.»
As in every locker room, we don’t kiss each other every day but believe me, it’s going much better than elsewhere and above all much better than you can say or imagine.
Christophe Galtier
As if to bring water to his mill, the Parisian coach was questioned on many subjects which do not concern the field, refusing to “comment on rumors». «At a time when there are super important matches, we could encounter the debate on football. It’s a championship high. We are undefeated in all competitions. Marseille are having a good start to the league and are coming off of two good performances in C1, we could refocus the debate on the match, the game, the style, what is happening with us at the moment and the fact that we are a little less sparkling“Added the native of… Marseille. And to continue:I’m not lecturing you, I’m just giving my feeling, is that all I can say, no one believes me. If I tell you that things are going well in my locker room, it means that things are going well in my locker room. As in every locker room, we don’t kiss each other every day but believe me, it’s going much better than elsewhere and above all much better than you can say or imagine.“All before specifying that”Kylian is doing very well».
Impermeable to pressure
Galtier’s anger reflects the tension that currently reigns around PSG, and at the club. Moreover, some of its predecessors had the same feeling. “Am I still a coach or am I a politician, a sports minister?“, had indicated Thomas Tuchel in a true-false interview with Sport1just before being fired.
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Obviously, “Galette” will not suffer the same fate as the German technician. In any case, the former defender assures that all this hustle and bustle does not affect him personally. “I’m very focused on PSG, the team, who will be able to play, I’m giving you some leads, are we going to change organization, switch to a midfield with three, in 4-4-2, stay at three behind“, he underlines, clearly suggesting that Paris could go four behind against OM given the absentees in defense (Kimpembe and Mendes injured, Ramos suspended).
I’m sure there will be more to come tonight when I get home.
Christophe Galtier
And to continue:When you are the coach of PSG, you are very exposed, I paid enough to know. But there, it’s a bit… Very special! It’s every day! I’m sure there will be more to come tonight when I get home. But it’s not a pressure for me. It’s annoying because it’s unpleasant not to talk about football, my job, my passion. I especially pay attention to what it can cause on my group, my players and the environment of the team. When I realize that it does not disturb my group, I am reassured.In any case, the message got through. Charge to Galtier and his players to show, Sunday (8:45 p.m., 11th day) against OM, that they are as impervious to pressure as that in what remains “a game apart“. One thing is certain: beyond the three points, the objective will be to “make proud» Parisian supporters. And to only talk about football, we understood that.
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