Why PSG Are Right to Keep Carlo Ancelotti

Since Paris Saint-Germain clinched their first Ligue 1 title in 19 years, all of the talk surrounding the capital club has been regarding coach Carlo Ancelotti’s future in France.

While Monaco are sinking their teeth into the transfer market early to make up some ground on Les Parisiens, PSG are in limbo after the Italian’s request to leave the club (via ESPN FC). Ancelotti himself has admitted that his future lies in the hands of his current employers, but PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo are loathe to let him go (via ESPN FC).

Ancelotti’s contract automatically renewed for a season once a top-three finish, and the club’s first title since 1994 was confirmed. However, speculation had started to mount weeks before the crucial match in Lyon (via ESPN FC), resulting in the club’s fans writing an open letter to the tactician, pleading with him to stay.

With that much uncertainty surrounding the French champions, Les Rouge-et-Bleu are unable to start planning for next season.

Following Ancelotti’s admission that he may be forced to stay at the Parc des Princes (via ESPN FC), is it really worth PSG digging their heels in to keep their coach?

At this time, Ancelotti’s role in the French capital is of vital importance. He has been able to turn the vast array of talent put in front of him by Leonardo into a solid side, capable of domestic and European success.

That is no easy task. Not only is the two-time Champions League winner dealing with the massive weight of expectation put on the team by the club’s owners and fans, he is balancing a larger than life dressing room as well as could be hoped in addition to fulfilling his key objectives.

The team is also at a critical stage in its development and Ancelotti is key to the continued rise of young talents such as Blaise Matuidi, Marco Verratti and Lucas Moura.

Not only that, his leadership has had a calming effect on and off the pitch on a club that has rocketed to the attention of world football in under two years of development after substantial investment. The ringing endorsement he gets from players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic is testament to this (via ESPN FC).

PSG know this now, but unfortunately they did not realise his true value when they were experiencing a poor run of form between November and December. His subsequent success since 2012 has convinced the club that he is the only man for the job, but he has also not forgotten their lack of faith at that time.

In terms of Ancelotti’s role with the long-term vision for PSG, he would likely not be part of the club’s plans past the next two to three seasons. However, in that time the capital club’s hierarchy expect to win the Champions League.

Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo know that the team stand the best chance of being able to do this with Ancelotti at the helm.

Because of that they are loathe to lose him to a continental rival and rightly so. The PSG President has even accused the Spanish giants of striking a pre-contract agreement with Ancelotti (via ESPN FC).

One of the club’s main off-field issues towards the end of the season was the erratic behaviour of Leonardo. A nasty altercation with referee Alexandre Castro after PSG’s 1-1 draw at home with Valenciennes was followed by a public row with Ibrahimovic after sealing the title, before collapsing on the way back to the capital.

Ancelotti maintains that he remains on good terms with the Brazilian and Al-Khelaifi (via ESPN FC), but it became quite palpable towards the end of the season that many at the club, including the Italian, were growing tired of his behaviour.

If true, then the club must intend on keeping Leonardo which makes Ancelotti all the more important.

His ability to succeed with the players put in front of him by the Brazilian has only been possible because Leonardo managed to capture the likes of Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva and Ezequiel Lavezzi. Without them, Ancelotti’s job would have been much harder as those massively successful signings have masked an, at best, scattergun approach to player recruitment that has met with mixed success.

The importance of that leadership now in the face of rivalry from newly promoted financial heavyweights Monaco is amplified. PSG need Ancelotti to stay put in order to avoid a catastrophic summer that could result in departures of key players and a loss in confidence, allowing Les Monegasques’ project to start to thrive in the principality without even kicking a ball.

PSG are, in effect, trying to keep an unhappy coach, though.

The differences between keeping one unhappy player at the club and keeping an unhappy coach are massive. Firstly, you can drop the unhappy player but you can’t drop the coach. Secondly, how focused will he really be on the job if he has his heart set on a move elsewhere?

Ancelotti’s desire to leave will likely force the club to eventually part with their prized tactician. But on his part, why not inform the club of his unhappiness before his contract renewed?

It seems clear that his mind was made up a long time ago on the subject, so perhaps the Italian should have announced his decision to leave the club upon the expiration of his contract to avoid such a mess unfolding.

Yes, it would have risked team harmony and could have potentially led to premature dismissal, but at least both parties would have known where they stand.

The reasons for PSG to keep Ancelotti are clear; he is the best man for the job right now. Unfortunately, the potential risks in keeping such a coach against his will are great.

If the side from the capital suffer a slow start to the season, PSG risk being dethroned by their new contenders Monaco, potentially derailing their ambitious project. Ancelotti risks damaging his stellar reputation if such a scenario were to unfold.

But until a decision is made nobody can look to the future. With Monaco breathing down PSG’s necks, it is dangerous territory to be in.