One of the most renowned French coaches before a complicated season at PSG, Christophe Galtier saw his image blurred by accusations of harassment and racism for facts dating back to his time on the Nice bench, which earned him a trial.
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Exiled in Qatar where he has managed the reigning champion club Al-Duhail since October, Christophe Galtier is back in France on a bench. That of the defendants. Dismissed from his post as PSG coach last summer despite the French champion title, Galtier chose Qatar to rebuild after a tormented year, both on and off the field.
His arrival at PSG could, however, have allowed him to take a step forward after an already successful career on the French scene. But in one season in Paris, the coach lost credit.
Strong character
The capital club, in search of a French profile, had set its sights in the summer of 2021 on the original Marseillais, credited with a flattering reputation at Saint-Étienne (2009-2017) and Lille (2017- 2021), before a more mixed season in Nice (2021-2022). But everything went wrong for the 57-year-old former OM player.
A strong character, the technician displayed a less “bling-bling” profile than his predecessors on the Parisian bench. “ He is a seducer in the good sense of the word. He took communications training when he was younger. It’s an important part of his job. », Said Philippe Lyonnet, former communications director of the Greens, about him.
In Paris, he constantly steps up to praise Lionel Messi, despite the whistles from the Parc des Princes, is very complimentary with Neymar and appears all smiles alongside Kylian Mbappé, then the third star of a golden attack. “ He is open to discussion with the key players of his team, but also all the players to show them their importance. He gets everyone on board. It is a unifier », summarized Alain Blachon, one of his deputies in Saint-Etienne.
“It’s false, extremely false »
The music is sweet, but the false notes accumulate: PSG is eliminated in the round of 16 in the Champions League against Bayern Munich and in the Coupe de France against OM. Results which will hasten the end of Galtier’s stay in Paris in his first season.
At the same time, the speaking engagements of “Galette” are experiencing hitches. The first when he jokes about sand yachts after a question about his team’s plane travel.
And his long relaxed communication clearly tenses when, from his past in Nice, accusations resurface attributing to him discriminatory behavior against Muslim players, which he fiercely denies.
“ I do not accept that we can say that Christophe Galtier is a racist », he will say on Canal+ in September, his first interview after his ouster from PSG. “ It’s false, extremely false, football people know me “.
Summoned before the Nice Criminal Court for charges of moral harassment and discrimination, he will be tried on Friday for these offenses punishable by three years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros.
(With AFP)