This Saturday, August 13 will remain for Christophe Galtier an important moment in his coaching career. For the first time, the technician will lead his PSG at the Parc des Princes. “JI think there will be emotion”, admitted the new coach of the Reds and Blues in a pre-match press conference. “Imagine, at 55 I will be on the right side, on the right, on the right bench. I am very happy to be here. I think we will have a warm welcome because the players have deserved it since July 4. ”
Since becoming a coach, Christophe Galtier has had his own story against PSG at the Parc des Princes. With Saint-Etienne, Lille or Nice, he came to challenge Paris in his lair 11 times in all for a mixed record of 7 defeats, 2 draws and only 2 wins. This Saturday, therefore, it will be “on the right side of the bench” as he says and at the helm of an XXL team which last year experienced delicate moments at the Parc des Princes:
The past is the past, a blank page has opened. The players work hard, they’ve been flawless on tour, they’ve been good and efficient against Nantes and Clermont. There is a good state of mind. I want my team to lead the supporters to be behind them in terms of behaviour, investment and rhythm. You will also have to win. That’s what I’ve been seeing since July 4 and there’s no reason not to see it on Saturday at the Parc des Princes. I don’t have a message to convey, we have a message to convey. The team has a message to convey: in terms of investment and behavior, we must be irreproachable.
What reception for the coach at the Parc des Princes?
And given the first results and the good atmosphere that currently reigns around his team, there is no doubt that Christophe Galtier will be well received by the Parc des Princes. However, on his arrival, the ex-Nice coach was followed by some doubts on the part of the supporters, worried because of his lack of experience on the European scene and wondering about his ability to manage a crowded dressing room. stars and oversized egos. His Marseille origins, his past as a player trained at OM as well as a statement on the atmosphere of the Parc des Princes during his presentation on July 5 (Editor’s note: “It may not be the place where there is the biggest atmosphere”) have only irritated some fans including ultras. Christophe Galtier had to make amends in an interview with L’Equipe, claiming to have “badly expressed” and says he is ready to meet the supporters to burst the abscess. He therefore expects a “heartwarming welcome”.
The ultras accept the outstretched hand
This Saturday evening too, the Parc des Princes will vibrate with the songs of the ultras. The Collectif Ultras Paris strike has ended since the last match of last season. A CUP who heard Christophe Galtier’s message in the columns of Le Parisien “We will have to find the time. I will meet the ultras, that’s for sure! Everywhere I went, I met them. I will do it again with pleasure.”
Contacted by France Bleu Paris, Romain Mabille the president of the main group of PSG supporters accepts this outstretched hand from the technician:
Of course we accept it. You know we’ve been cut off from the sports sector for some time now. If we accept this outstretched hand, it’s because it comes from him and that’s already good. I find that after his clumsy sentence (see above) it’s good that he revives the thing. The fact that he asks to chat with us is really good. We are people open to dialogue. We cannot have complained about the lack of dialogue and not accept the proposal. We will be the first around the table, to listen and also pass on a few messages. All of this can only be positive for the coach, the workforce and PSG. Because I hope that we can also renew the dialogue with the workforce. Obviously we will not ask to see them every four mornings but twice a season to discuss everyone’s expectations. And all that will only weld us together to face the good times and the bad. Getting to know each other is really important.
There is now almost no doubt that the Parisian technician and the ultras of PSG will meet in the coming weeks to get to know each other better.