Poch’s PSG Exit After Ligue 1 Glory, Not Matching Champions League Status

It’s every coach’s dream to have an opportunity of having an exceptional caliber of players at their disposal. But what happens when that opportunity is challenged with the control of a star-studded dressing room nd having to navigate the politics of a complicated management style?

When you’re at the helm of PSG’s coaching seat, you are judged beyond your domestic success, and a European Champions League title is what you are mainly judged upon. Leading the recent Ligue 1 championship by 15 points wasn’t good enough for the club, as their underwhelming loss to the European-ruling Real Madrid in the last-16 tie of the premier UEFA tournament defined the club’s dilemmas.

As the record reflects purely from that stance, Mauricio Pochettino’s days at Paris Saint-Germain are numbered.

Poch’s PSG Reunion To Second Exit

Once dubbed as the “Project Retrouvailles”, Pochettino’s reunion with the club as a coach since his stint as a club captain couldn’t have turned any more sour. Far cry from the hopes of a hot prospect with fresh and untainted football ideas, arriving 18 months ago to handle his biggest coaching task to date, and elevating one of the most expensive organizations to newer heights. 

At this stage, speculations of his future continue as it could have been saved by uncooperative players who’ve been given unprecedented powers by the club, let alone the interfering forces in decision-making. 

From the outside, PSG is an uncoachable squad that raises criticisms towards some individuals not playing for the badge and rather for their wallets. Critics’ fingers are most notably pointing at the young French striker-sensation Kylian Mbappe, for having recently exercised his freedom in giving input behind the scenes on hiring Luis Campos as the new Sporting Director for the French giants.

It is no doubt that Poch gave Mbappe the best season he’s ever had, however, this season’s results illustrate the lowest out of their previous campaigns of significance. The Argentine coach won 3 titles during his tenure at PSG, comprised of Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions in his first campaign, and followed this season with the Ligue 1 title clinched with four games to spare.

All of those titles were only deemed as a minimum requirement for a team of high stakes such as PSG. Still, by any objective measure, he has bagged the latest season of Ligue 1 collecting 86 points, with 90 goals netted and 36 conceded. In 2019, they recorded 91 points, 93 in 2018, 87 when they finished second behind Kylian Mbappe’s AS Monaco in 2017, 96 in 2016, and 83 similarly in 2015 and 2013. Statistically, those seasons listed indicate that they exceeded their scoring tally and conceded fewer.

In any event, the Bernabeu-humiliation was the last straw. Pochettino falling short of the Champions League motivated the impatience of the Qatari owners in the lack of dominance in European standards. According to their expectations, the former Spurs manager was assigned a three-headed monster on a silver platter – consisting of Neymar Jr., Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe, who was meant to guide them to their ultimate form.

At the point where a manager had some structure on the squad, the PSG board was compelled to sack instead. One can only suspect a complicated working environment. It makes you wonder, will the next manager fare any better?

Zinedine Zidane The Next Successor? Who Better?

On the brink of Poch and PSG reaching an exit agreement, he has expressed his desire to move on already, and the great Zinedine Zidane swiftly became the next target.

Zidane, along with Christof Galtier, who is currently the head coach of Nice, are front-runners linked to the club. Galtier’s resume is emphasized by winning Ligue 1 with Lille in 2021, and pipping Pochettino’s PSG to the post in the process. He is hugely admired in French football and organizes his teams very well with great football ideas.

Favorably from the French soil, Zidane is arguably the greatest footballer ever. In addition, his pedigree as a coach speaks for itself after guiding Real to three consecutive Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles during his two spells at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Football Over Star Name Favoritism

To whom much is given much is required. In conclusion of Pochettino’s qualms with the PSG management, he won’t continue beyond this summer to say the least despite ending his tenure in a ceremonious fashion. We couldn’t even venture a guess where he’d be suited after his stint at the Parc des Princes.

Whoever takes over the reins of PSG’s coaching position, is cognisant by now that they’ve fulfilled an exciting level of footballers assembled in one club in the entire history of the game. Except for the daunting task of managing all the star names and overzealous management, there’s a feeling of needful to restore football amidst the commerciality, ahead of the project. 

Such a new identity in the PSG organization leaves us with a lot to assess our forthcoming bets when it comes to the team. There will be so many ongoing reasons to favor them, and all can be gauged through the New Jersey Online Casinos to explore our betting needs.