Paris Saint Germain, a big little club?
In 2012 a Qatari group, QSI, bought Paris Saint Germain. The aim was to make the club from the capital of France a great club. But despite numerous prestigious recruitments and a Champions League final, the club continues to suffer from an image of a small club doped with petrodollars. Is this so true?
PSG had an eventful start to the championship. Alternating big performances like during the victory against Manchester City and less glorious moments like the defeat in the league against Rennes. But, it’s not the fluctuating results of PSG that are shocking but that’s all that revolves around it. Mbappé, Messi, Ramos, Icardi... These are all names that have made PSG in just 10 years one of the most famous clubs in the world.
But managing stars is not easy. These stars who have made Paris the most popular club on social networks and in the hearts of fans seem to be causing problems. These aforementioned stars, each in their own way, put the problem in the stature of the club which became great overnight.
Let's start with Mbappé. The one that France and many football lovers see as the worthy successor of Ronaldo and Messi shows a certain interest in Real Madrid. According to several media sources, Paris Saint Germain was ready to offer him 45 million to stay in the capital. If Mbappé had accepted this offer, the entire club's salary hierarchy would have been upset. Making Mbappé (22 years old) become PSG's biggest salary, ahead of Neymar (29 years old) and Messi (34 years old). This change would have made the management of egos and salaries unmanageable ... Yet it is nothing new to see a young player wanting to leave a club to pursue his dream at the club he has loved since childhood. But Mbappé is a child of Bundy (outskirts of Paris), so he is a child of Paris and despite that his heart does not belong to the capital. Therefore, if Paris does not manage to conquer its own, who will it succeed in conquering? Is it doomed to be a mercenary club where you sign only because the salary is attractive? (Hello David Beckham!)
In addition, Icardi demonstrated all the professionalism that some players at the club have in them and the respect he has for the club. So, on the eve of the game against Leipzig, Mauro Icardi did not train for personal reasons with his wife Wanda. Still, the manager put him on the scoresheet the next day ... while he was in Italy to win back his wife. In addition, according to several media sources, Icardi threatened his wife to leave PSG. This hasty departure would have cost his wife a lot of money, who is none other than his agent. Club fans rose up in the face of such nonsense. How can he treat Paris Saint-Germain like this? How did the coach manage to put his name on the scoresheet if he was in turmoil? In short, the club's fans went wild on Twitter. They point the finger at both the unprofessional behavior of Icardi and the calamitous management of Pochettino who should have excluded Icardi from the group in view of his family situation and his failed training sessions.
The case of Messi and Ramos confirms what we have just said upstream. Indeed, Messi said at the end of October that he would like to return to Barcelona again to help the club. He's not about returning as a player but about coming back after his football career and having a place in the club's organizational chart. Still, one cannot help but see a certain lack of respect towards PSG who pay him more than 40 million a year. After a mixed start to the championship, the Argentinian allows himself to display his future at Barça ... Thus, PSG is not a destination in his career, only a small island where he stops before leaving . We can only wish him happy holidays. Messi's case is quite similar to that of Sergio Ramos. Indeed, the former Real Madrid captain is said to be suffering from a serious injury and Paris medics have doubts about “his ability to return to the top level”. Has Paris therefore become the new China? These clubs where after having won everything, football players come to seek a peaceful retirement? The smog of Shanghai has given way to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Thus, all these management problems, respect for the club by some players, this feeling that love for the jersey does not exist ... lead to think that Paris is not or at least is not yet a giant from Europe. But let's give them some time because the club has only been around since 1970 and in just 10 years of investment they have already reached the Champions League final. Patience therefore, and one day perhaps we will be able to say “PARIS EST MAGIQUE” (Paris is magic).
Are Paris Saint-Germain a future great club that will make people dream or are they doomed to be a club that attracts only with its bling bling and its money?
1 Novembre 2021, Marckenley Exame
https://www.footmercato.net/a1387556270142660438-psg-le-nouveau-salaire-et-les-bonus- de-neymar https://www.capital.fr/entreprises-marches/le-salaire-stratospherique-propose-par-le-psg-a- kylian-mbappe-1413121 https://www.lefigaro.fr/sports/football/ligue-1/lionel-messi-toucherait-41-millions-d-euros-net- par-saison-au-psg-20210812
https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/football/psg/les-dix-ans-du-qatar-au-psg-en-dix-chiffres-30- 06-2021-M5ZG63OC25DZBDPQROTOVM2QQA.php#:~:text=Le%2030%20 juin%202011%2C%20le,dans%20les%20 cinq%20ann%C3%A9es%20 suivante
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAfdGiQHAMo&ab_channel=OhMyGoal-ActuFoot
https://mobile.twitter.com/lequipe/status/1452733741047160833
https://www.sports.fr/football/psg/mbappe-loffre-dementielle-psg-509673.html#item=1
It’s true that some teams started from the bottom, with few players and loosing because without not that much money they can’t buy good players and coaches. But also, it´s true that some others started just as the PSG.
ReplyDeleteIn the time, many people didn’t like the idea that the rich company QSI have bought the PSG but throughout the time we must accept that the PSG is a historical club (just like many others) and will keep making history. Also, in 30 years I don’t think people are going to be saying that PSG is history because of the Qatari group that bought it.
Joan Montoriol
ReplyDeleteI think PSG will be an unsustainable team in the medium term. It is a team with very little history, that the players only come for the money, and that if they do not get a champions league in a few years, the project will be devalued and people will lose interest in going there. In addition, there are many stars who have regretted to go there. Neymar until recently, every summer he tried to find the formula to return to FCBarcelona and Mbappe is like crazy to go to Real Madrid. The fact that they play in the French league does not help, since the level of this league is rather low. So, or PSG begins to build its own history or I think it will be a team that ends up being mediocre.
I guess they might have a long term plan as well, and there will be enough supporters for the club, but there is some hate for the financial structure as well. Money will attract the players and they will get the results some time in the future. However, Bayern Munich also managed to get great results with a healthy process starting from their own strength and youth players. This proofs it is also possible in another way...
ReplyDeleteThat's the problem when you have a lot of money, you don't know if others like us for our money ... That's the problem with PSG. I am not saying that money is not important for a club. I'm just saying that most players want to play for Real Madrid or FC Barcelona and it's not just the money that drives players to want to play for these clubs: it's glory. In addition, over time, PSG must set up another economic model otherwise they risk ruining Qatar!
DeleteI believe that they do have the potential to become a big respected club among Europe, but that will come from long term planning, not for spending millions every transfer window with the hopes of winning a title. I belive they should invest in the academy of PSG, actually give a chance and that way the fans have a storyline to follow, "the kid who reached his dreams". By investing in the academy more they will see how homegrown talent will earn them more respect in the long run, look at Nkunku for example, left PSG because of no playing time and is now playing amazing. With players like that leading the club, the perception of them will change with time.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. The club certainly wants to become popular very quickly by buying great players. But if PSG wants to sustain its results in the Champions League and have a financial balance, investing in the training of its young people is imperative!
DeleteI agree that all clubs need money, the new greats as well as the historic clubs need it. However, the problem is that these clubs have infinite funds being supported by countries. In addition, this club has a serious management problem. We have the impression that the players do not respect the club with their statements. In Paris, the players seem bigger than the institution unlike Real Madrid for example ...
ReplyDeleteI think PSG will eventually be a club that people are going to love, but purely because there will be new generations that are growing up with the knowledge that PSG is a big club. If you grow up with PSG as a big club, you don't have anything against them. but, we're the generation that have seen there development as a club who has only grown big because of money. Our opinion about this club isn't going to change anytime soon, but the could really benefit from next generations.
ReplyDeleteFirstly I want to say that I've been hating PSG for years. (I am a Barça fan). After that being said, PSG is the clear example that money does not buy trophies. Last year they lost the Ligue 1 in the last game against LOSC Lille, I enjoyed that game so much. PSG just buys football stars and make them worst, there is no chemistry on that team. I believe that Neymar never reached his full potenial level because he joined PSG and it is a shame because it is one of the most talented players of all time. If you want to success in football you have to play as a team and not for one or two players. The clearest example of what I just said is Chelsea winning the Champions League last year. They did not have a single super star on the team and they were able to beat Real Madrid and Manchester City.
ReplyDeletePSG is a team with a lot of money but the club does not have too much trophies. Last year PSG lost Ligue1 against Lille which is kind of humilliating that a multimillionare club with the best players in the world are losing one of the worst leagues in the planet. Now, PSG has Messi, Neymar, Mbappe, S.Ramos, Di Maria, Donnarumma, Achraf... (it is Dream Team) and they are not doing a good performance in Championsleague and LIgue1. Money does not buy success. The succes is given in effort.
ReplyDeleteAs a football fan, I am not a huge lover of PSG, in my opinion they play Football Manager in real life but gone wrong. PSG manages to sign great players, but these end up not fitting well with each other. Of course, they have had very good performances but not to the potential they could get. I think PSG needs to start signing because of the abilities, position and what the player has to offer on the pitch instead of signing for who the player is... Also, PSG is more focused on short-term goals and it shows. Maybe with time they can proof what they are capable of at the level they desire.
ReplyDeleteReading all the comments of this article i can see that people thinks like me and i'm totally agree.
ReplyDeletePSG it's a club with lot of money and they only try to but the best players of the world, but if they don't have chemistry between them, the club it's not going to win anything.
We can see the template and players that they have such as Messi, Neymar, Mbappe... but they still loosing some important matches and that it's the clearly reflex that money can't but trophies and competitions.
Alejandro Viladomiu
ReplyDeleteIt is true that the team has more and more name but it is very difficult for them to win something big. Because they can buy all the players they want but the French league will remain the same and the French teams do not have the same level as the teams of the other European leagues. And when they play against other European teams it is always difficult for them to win because they are not used to play with big soccer clubs.
And I will always repeat it, things are not earned with money, they are earned with effort and dedication.
I have a really bad image of PSG because I am a Barcelona fan. I believe PSG can become a great team because they have the capital to do so, but right now they are not doing well because they are only singing big starts and that’s it. They have to focus more on the chemistry rather than just having big names and expect them to do well.
ReplyDeleteSadly, as many comments say, PSG has built its popularity on big money, which is neither wrong nor illegal, but I think it's not how the biggest fans in the history of soccer have been built.
ReplyDeleteI am sure PSG will continue to be a "big" club in France, and a very well recognized one in Europe for a long time to come, however, I think they should think more long term than medium term in terms of the club.