No other coach could do any better than Mauricio Pochettino is doing at PSG, thinks Guillem Balague
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Published 14/02/2022 at 20:19 GMT
Guillem Balague doubts whether any coach could do a better job than Mauricio Pochettino is currently doing at Paris Saint-Germain, and says the club lack a DNA. Pochettino's holy grail - like all PSG coaches in the modern era - is to win the Champions League, but Balague believes it is a tough ask to create a functioning team from a group of individual stars.
Mauricio Pochettino has a job on his hands moulding his team of PSG stars.
Image credit: Getty Images
Guillem Balague believes Mauricio Pochettino is making the most of a difficult situation at Paris Saint-Germain as the Argentine starts his bid to take his team to the Champions League title.
PSG face Real Madrid in the last 16 of Europe's elite tournament on Tuesday, with their first-leg tie at the Parc Des Princes followed by the return leg at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 9.
But Balague says Pochettino - who has struggled to create the super team some expected after the summer signings of Leo Messi and Sergio Ramos - is operating under constricting circumstances that any coach would find tough.
Talking to Eurosport France, Balague - the author of 'Brave New World: Inside Pochettino's Spurs' - said: "Which coach could take charge of PSG to make them play well? My answer is 'none'.
"For me, rather than criticise the coach, there is a lack of focus on the DNA of PSG. You can't put everything on the coach.
"PSG is a team with incredible individuals but that hasn't been able to create a team with the right synergy to play well together, or be effective.
"People need to understand that it takes time to find a way of playing with Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Messi.
"And there are a multitude of factors to take into account such as the way he [Pochettino] has to manage differently to his previous clubs.
"His priority is not tactics, it's creating harmony. It's about getting everyone to be happy and therefore giving the best of themselves.
"To do that, Pochettino has to be positive. In the end he won't be judged on whether he speaks to the media about tactics. His job consists of creating the best environment, and sometimes press conferences can damage that."
Despite the mixed success the ex-Southampton boss has had in Paris, Balague believes he is still enjoying his time there - and that his future prospects haven't been harmed.
He said: "Some people might think it has [tarnished his reputation].
"But I think Manchester United - the richest club in the world - still want him. So in my eyes any damage is small.
"It's true that it would be better if people better appreciated what a job he has to get this team playing well.
"But look at other clubs like Manchester City or Liverpool. These clubs have principles and ideas, they choose their coaches and from there their players.
"PSG have gone a different way. They managed to reached the final of the Champions League, let's not forget.
"But to have more harmony, you need to add other things - things that PSG haven't considered as very important up until now."
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