Paris FC: smart recruitment, Rosenior method… The keys to a successful start to the season

Smart recruitment

The rich Arnault family, owner of the luxury brand LVMH and the Parisian club, took out their checkbook this summer. Without making any noise, Paris FC still spent a little over 70 million euros, which, given the current economic context of French clubs, is not nothing. Diego Coppola and Luca Koleosho, on loan last season, were retained for almost 30 million euros, and in the opinion of Paris FC general manager Jean-Marc Gallot, “taking players under contract with Premier League clubs, and whether it was reasonable, was not so obvious”.

But it is above all the association of the pair of attackers Lassine Sinayoko and Pablo Pagis, the first to arrive from Auxerre with 12 goals on the clock, the second from Lorient, all for 35 million euros, which seems to be one of the nicest moves of this transfer window. Sinayoko's hat-trick at the Vélodrome during the victory in Marseille (3-2), the splendid goal against Strasbourg from Pagis (2-1), who also has technical agility above the rest, and the understanding between the two players demonstrate that so far, the thing is working. “Be careful, there are only five days so you have to remain very modest. It’s a team under construction. But we have a workforce that has remained fairly stable,” summarizes Jean-Marc Gallot.

Skip the ad

The Rosenior transplant

English technician Liam Rosenior did not necessarily have the wind in his sails after his whirlwind spell at Chelsea last season. Three months in the Premier League for one of the worst records in the history of the Blues and a fairly damaged image of a good student. But the leaders of Paris FC, determined to reshape the staff and not to keep Antoine Kombouaré, were convinced by the profile of the former Fulham player, ex-Strasbourg coach. Despite the good results with 11 points taken in five matches, Rosenior's approach to the media is in any case tinged with patience and humility. At press conferences, since the start of the season, he has been increasing the number of phrases evoking “the start of a process”, a project requiring “time”, while emphasizing the quality of his squad, “top top+ players”.

The players seem to be increasingly adhering to the game project that Rosenior wishes to implement. “It’s certain that, especially tactically, he teaches us a lot of things,” assures defender Adama Camara, for example. “What particularly pleases me is the speed with which the players have assimilated our ideas, their hard work in training and the intensity we put into our game. These are very positive points,” praised Rosenior on Friday.

The hardest part begins...

If Paris FC has already faced two big guns with Lyon (0-0) and Marseille in five days, its schedule will still seriously get carried away in the coming weeks. “We have a few big matches awaiting us after Lorient, we host Rennes before going to Lens and hosting Monaco,” recalls Jean-Marc Gallot. “This will be a great test,” he predicts.

“We haven't done anything yet,” insists Rosenior, to temper the enthusiasm born from this great start. This good start still seems to have changed the perception and image of Paris FC within the elite. “With the results we have had, people are obviously asking questions,” acknowledges Adama Camara. But for now, the club's objectives remain unchanged. “Our ambitions have not been revised upwards, we are a club under construction, we are aiming for between 6th and 10th place,” reaffirms Jean-Marc Gallot. The opinions of others will not change anything in our road plan.”