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PSG have a new manager

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Christophe Galtier- The manager with the golden touch set for PSG

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Galtier arrived at Lille in December 2017, taking over from Marcelo Bielsa with the team in the relegation places. Lille were haemorrhaging defeats that season, a lot having to do with the dysfunction till Galtier’s appointment. However, with three consecutive wins from the club’s final four league games, Lille avoided relegation by a solitary point. The 2018-19 season really announced Galtier as someone who can challenge for the title.

The club brought in unheralded players such as Jonathan Bamba, Mehmet Zeki Celik, Jose Fonte, Jonathan Ikone and Soumare. All of these would go on to lift the championship in two years’ time but back then, they were no slouches either. Lille finished 2nd, conceding the fewest goals (33) with Nicolas Pepe hitting 23 goals and Bamba scoring 14 across all competitions. The team only suffered two defeats since the turn of the year, and despite losing Pepe, Rafael Leao and Thiago Mendes managed to finish 4th in 2019-20.

Once again, before the 2020-21 campaign, they had to sell top-scorer Victor Osimhen along with key defender Gabriel. Not to be deterred, Galtier identified top replacements in Burak Yilmaz, Jonathan David, and Sven Botman- all of whom became starters immediately. He used a well-drilled 4-4-2 which became a narrow 4-2-2-2 when they were out of possession. The plan was to move quickly out of defence and advance through the wide areas using the electric pace of Bamba and Ikone.

Up top, David was the agile one who darted in and out of spaces while Yilmaz served as the target man. While defending, Lille pressured intensely in the opponent’s half and forced them to attack down the wings. They were comfortable in dealing with crosses into the box, given Fonte and Botman’s aerial supremacy. Maignan was an active goalkeeper, coming out to catch and being excellent with his reflexes. The result? Only three defeats across the entire season, fewest goals allowed (23) and the highest points tally (83) in their history on their way to the Ligue 1 trophy.

Galtier won the Manager of the Season award (his third, the second one coming in 2018-19), Maignan was the Best Goalkeeper and everyone appeared well pleased. However, the relationship came to a fraught end after disagreements with the new president and he moved on to Nice where he continued his brilliant job. But before looking into the present and the future, one has to appreciate the past to understand the true essence of Christophe Galtier.

His first coaching job was with ASSE, back in 2009. Much like Lille, Les Verts were in the relegation zone and had just fired Alain Perrin, a long-time mentor of Galtier. Once again, Galtier guided the side to safety, avoiding the drop by one point. Using the tools at his disposal, including a burgeoning Dimitri Payet and Blaise Matuidi, they finished 10th the following season. The 2011-12 campaign saw the emergence of another star in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

His 16 goals enabled the side to qualify for Europe by finishing 7th. Galtier by then was already making a name as someone who gets the best out of his players no matter the match situation or opponents.
Having to work on a shoestring budget as compared to rivals, Galtier had no choice but to see the best players come and go once they displayed their potential. Along with Aubameyang, some of the other names to have come under the tutelage of Galtier include Kurt Zouma, Max Gradel, Josuha Guilavogui, Faouzi Ghoulam and Allan Saint-Maximin.

A number of high-placed finishes followed, helping them continue their European sojourns. The peak, however, was the 2012-13 season with Saint-Etienne winning the Coupe de la Ligue. It was their first piece of silverware in 32 years and Christophe Galtier was also the joint recipient of the Manager of the Season award.

Since he left the club, they had a couple of good seasons but the downtrend began after Christophe Galtier’s departure. There have been instances of fan violence, ultras revolting against the manager, and disruptions on matchdays as Saint-Etienne ultimately suffered relegation this season after a playoff loss to Auxerre on penalties. What they would give for a man like Galtier to come and rescue them once again. But the manager is now with his new troops who are making waves at the opposite end. If anything, the performances of clubs after he leaves them makes his work look even more miraculous in hindsight.
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https://www.espn.com/sports/insider...league-together-lessons-coaches-failed-europe

[article]Under QSI, the average managerial tenure has lasted for 97 matches across Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Or: 772 days. Here's how they compare, in chronological order:

Carlo Ancelotti: 547 days, 67 games

Laurent Blanc: 1,093 days, 144 games

Unai Emery: 730 days, 92 games

Thomas Tuchel: 913 days, 107 games

Mauricio Pochettino: 578 days, 73 games

The clear outlier is Blanc, the only one to last for over two full years or to make it beyond 110 games. He's also the only PSG manager to win the league in all of his seasons with the club, going 3-for-3. However, he also went 3-for-3 on quarterfinal exits in the Champions League.[/article]
 
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