The most notable thing about Christoph Galatieri, PSG's new coach, is the very fact that he is French.
Very French.
He is certainly more French than the Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, who was last night notified of his end after 18 months, and certainly much more French than the German Thomas Tuchel, the Spanish Onai Emery and the Italian Carlo Ancelotti.
Even from Laurent Blanc - French-French and world and European champion in tricolor uniform but also one who played in Spain, Italy and England - the newer coach Asli.
To a large extent, it can be stated with confidence that Galatia is the most French coach from PSG since the days of Antoine Comboera, and accordingly the most French since the Qatari takeover in 2011.
And that's a piece of saying.
Galatia was born in Marseille 55 years ago, and spent the vast majority of his career, both as a player and as a coach, in his homeland.
He made defenses in Marseille, Lille, Toulouse, Angers and Nimes, and towards the end of his career spent one season in Italy and a few moments in China.
After retiring, he did internships in places like Thessaloniki, Portsmouth and Al-Aain as Alan Fran's assistant, but in the end always returned to France.
As head coach he has worked at Saint-Etienne, Lille and Nice, so his resume includes only local successes - very different from the resume that brought to the bench names like Ancelotti, Emery and Tuchel.
In local terms these successes were immense.
He saved Saint-Etienne from relegation in the first season and then took it for seven consecutive seasons in the top ten, four times to Europe and winning the League Cup - the club's first title for 32 years.
He got Lille when she was in 18th place after a tough saga with Marcelo Bailesa, and he also saved her from relegation.
He later led her to second place and the Champions League, and last season to a marvelous championship win, at the expense of PSG, with veteran players like Burak Ilmaz and Jose Font and while promoting youngsters like Jonathan David, Sven Botman, Bobcari Somara and others.
Last season he took Nice to fifth place and the French Cup final.
In all, he has been crowned coach of the season three times in France.
Pochettino.
Another foreign coach who failed to drive a stake in the City of Lights, Photo: Reuters
Will return to work with campus
There is no doubt that his qualities as a coach are one of the main reasons for choosing him as a replacement for Pochettino, but it seems that his Frenchness and his success in French football and with French players also contributed to this.
It seems that PSG is changing direction in terms of thinking, and Galatia is another part of this change.
It was preceded by the appointment of Portuguese professional manager Luis Campus, the man who built the last two teams that prevented PSG from winning the championship - Monaco and Lille.
Campus was the man who promoted Killian Mbabane to the center of the stage about six years ago, and he is considered an expert in discovering and promoting young actors.
The collaboration between him and Galatia is proven and known, and according to reports Campus was the man who recommended PSG to appoint Galatia.
The plan, so by all accounts, is to build a more modest, younger, and mostly more French group.
Galatia is shown on PSG, Photo: Reuters
This trend began with the departure of players like Di Maria and reports of a desire to release Neymar and even Messi, and the direction is clear.
PSG want to return to the sources, and Galatieri is the man who should steer the journey and at the same time provide successes in France, as he is used to and knows, but also in Europe.
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
If you found an error in the article, we would love for you to share it with us
