End of the PSG Era?

[Guest]

 

[Stan]

[Mel81x+]

One to go onto greater success at a bigger club. The other to flip hamburgers and give 5 dollar handjobs to pay off his exorbitant price-tag. No prizes for guessing who. The Qataris should come to the Prem inject some money and cause some serious chaos. If they do go to Italy I hope they do it right this time and actually offer some competition in that league but one can only dream.

Also, at the topic title, what era? They won Ligue 1 and thats about it. They bought a bucketload of expensive players, assembled a decent squad and have nothing to show on the European stage. I'd say Ligue 1 is better without them in it honestly (Qatar that is).

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Mel81x said:

One to go onto greater success at a bigger club. The other to flip hamburgers and give 5 dollar handjobs to pay off his exorbitant price-tag. No prizes for guessing who. The Qataris should come to the Prem inject some money and cause some serious chaos. If they do go to Italy I hope they do it right this time and actually offer some competition in that league but one can only dream.

Also, at the topic title, what era? They won Ligue 1 and thats about it. They bought a bucketload of expensive players, assembled a decent squad and have nothing to show on the European stage. I'd say Ligue 1 is better without them in it honestly (Qatar that is).

To be fair, Ligue 1 was very competitive before PSG came about, so you can consider them as the PSG era.

[Mel81x+]

4 minutes ago, Grizzly21 said:

To be fair, Ligue 1 was very competitive before PSG came about, so you can consider them as the PSG era.

Fair enough I do get that but to think of what they assembled and achieved as a whole I think we can both agree it was a failure? Maybe French football might get something good out of this now which is a sense of parity restored.

[...Dan]

I won't believe it until I see it. Not getting my hopes up.

[Harry]

No doubt this PSG experiment has only hurt the brand that is Qatar. Ultimately because they are cunts. And now they are more well known to be so.

If one or two other billionaires had bought into clubs there to create some competitiveness and rivalry the league could have been transformed (bringing increased revenue and interest that could then spill over to other clubs) but it was a one horse race that just epitomised the worst aspects of selfish clubs that don't give a fuck about their domestic competition and only play the Champions league...

France has a big domestic market and cultural diversity that give it potential revenue and interest to step up into that next level of great European leagues and be fresh and interesting.

Paris, being a marvelous City is worthy of a great club and would make for an exciting away trip for fans. But PSG are not that club, and really never have been that, as they lack the authenticity and pedigree required.

 

[JoshBRFC+]

This would be amazing.

[Dan+]

I wonder what this would actually do to the French game. PSG have definitely brought more attention to the league but a lot of people won't be bothered simply because it's such a procession for them to win it. Make PSG tumble and you've got a genuinely competitive league here and I wonder if people would take an interest.

[ScoRoss]

Seems to suggest that they will pull out of PSG after Qatar 2022. Seems like it could have been their plan all along, but now they have a convenient out blaming others around them.

PSG would obviously not have the same level of financial power they have now, but would they still be the richest French club with the 'brand' that has been built up? 

[Batard]

I think as nice as it would be to believe PSG would be forced down the route Anzhi were when their powerbroker effectively said "Nope" I don't see that being the case here. There would have to be a succession plan unless you plan to asset strip the entire club.

[Azeem]

Considering the Gulf crisis going on some other Gulf state UAE or Saudis will buy PSG to rival Qatar

[Stan]

10 hours ago, Mel81x said:

The Qataris should come to the Prem inject some money and cause some serious chaos

Not sure how I'd feel about this. 

[Mel81x+]

3 minutes ago, Stan said:

Not sure how I'd feel about this. 

I don't necessarily think of them as bad in the sense that they wanted to invest and what they did with PSG was simply allowed because the French FA never stepped in and put a stop to it. Times have moved on since then and everyone is aware of what can and can't be done anymore so I think with more stringent rules governing them they'd be less inclined to be naughty. Having said that, I think the league could benefit from having a club outside the top 6 get some investment to provide some competition, long term, versus the current crop just floating past the rest. This can only happen through some investment since you really need financial clout to play the modern game besides having good players as well (we all wish this wasn't entirely true but it is). If they came in and adopted a City style approach of build and conquer I don't see how it could be bad for the league.

Having said all that I dont know what the Qatari foundation's business plans would be in the Prem but if they don't go there the next best destination is Italy considered a huge part of the Middle East actually enjoys watching Italian football and it would be good to see some of those Italian sides give Juventus a proper run for their money and not bend over for them every year.

[CaaC (John)+]

13 hours ago, Grizzly21 said:

 

 

PSG ‘could have funding pulled by Qatar as ongoing criticism in France is reflecting badly on the country’

By DANNY GALLAGHER FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 09:50, 3 May 2019 | UPDATED: 10:48, 3 May 2019

Qatar Sports Investments are considering withdrawing their funding for French giants Paris Saint Germain following widespread criticism and a lack of success on the pitch, according to recent reports in France.

PSG stand as one of the superpowers of European football, boasting some of the world's finest players due to the might of Qatar wealth invested into the football club.

However, French daily Le Parisien claim there now exists a consideration for the Arab funding to be withdrawn from the club, with a failure to make solid progression in the Champions League one of the key reasons.

Qatar Sports Investments, a subsidiary of the state-owned Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), took control of PSG in 2012 and outlined their ambition to make the club as big as the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

For many seasons PSG have competed with and often defeated their Spanish rivals in the transfer markets, bringing star names to the Parc Des Princes on lucrative contracts.

The finest summer of acquisitions for the club came in 2017, when PSG managed to prise Neymar away from Barca due to the activation of a release clause, while also managing to bring in wonderkid Kylian Mbappe on loan from Monaco with an obligation to buy.

Despite expanding their pool of talent, PSG have failed to get beyond the last 16 stage in the Champions League for the past three seasons and crashed out to Manchester United this season despite leading in the first-leg at Old Trafford.

Le Parisien also claim patience has started to wear thin among the QIA board of directors, who feel the lack of progress reflects badly on the state and has brought an increase of criticism as a result.

It is claimed QIA are in the process of considering stepping back from the project in the medium term, while more immediately pulling a significant amount of funding.

PSG have retained the Ligue 1 title yet again this season to extend their domestic dominance, though were defeated in the final of the Coupe de France by Rennes on penalties - during which Mbappe was sent off.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6988343/PSG-funding-pulled-Qatar-ongoing-criticism-France.html

[Eco]

Truely an odd situtation in Paris. I don't like PSG at all, but some of my favorite players in this generation are on that team. Of course, I also despise Neymar so there is that. 

But with Mbappe, Cavani, Veratti, and Silva, plus having had Alves, Buffon, and Pastore, they have certainly had some players I really enjoy watching. 

I think if PSG were to get their funding pulled, some of the leagues biggest stars will be gone and I'm not entirely sure how good this is for the league. I don't think Mbappe would stay in France and that would be awful for MANY reasons.