“I have managed locker rooms where there was a lot of ego” – Christophe Galtier makes bold claim about ‘sanctioning players’ at PSG

New Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) manager Christophe Galtier has made a bold claim about sanctioning players at the Parc des Princes.

Galtier has been confirmed as Mauricio Pochettino's successor and recently sat down for his first press conference as Paris Saint-Germain boss. He was asked about dealing with the Parisian dressing room, with superstar names such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar currently at the Ligue 1 side.

Galtier gave an eye-opening response (via L'Equipe) and said:

"These are players who want to win, to have fun. I have met locker rooms where there was a lot of ego. The first thing is to exchange with them but also to impose. We must have a common project without any compromise. I will observe, listen. I know that I will have the support of my management to sanction any player."

Mauricio Pochettino ran into issues with managing the squad this past season. He was unable to have the deadly trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe flourish on a consistent basis.

Galtier arrives in Paris from OGC Nice, having won the Ligue 1 title in 2021. He will be tasked with trying to take the Parisians further in the Champions League.

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New PSG manager Christophe Galtier needs to deal with egos

Mauricio Pochettino struggled to deal with Paris' top stars.

New PSG boss Christophe Galtier's comments are intriguing given that he has a locker room full of big personalities. Many have criticized PSG for being a team with star names rather than a cohesive unit.

It may bode well for the Ligue 1 champions if Galtier looks to have the side be a more united team come next season. The Parisians will be looking to forge a better fight in the Champions League. The side capitulated against Real Madrid in the Round of 16 in the 2021-22 campaign.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher slammed the Paris side following the defeat, deeming them to be a team full of egos. He said:

"With respect to Pochettino – who I have always rated very highly – Tuchel got more out of the PSG squad than his successor. In fairness to both, the PSG squad is unmanageable. Privately, I am sure both have been exhausted feeling they were managing egos more than footballers."

"That is not an excuse for the failure to lead the French side to Champions League success. It is, however, a mitigating factor as to why so many excellent coaches have fallen short in Paris."

With the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in the side, the Parisians are expected to go further than the Round of 16 in the Champions League.

Their calamitous outing against Madrid in March hinted at disharmony in the team and this is something Galtier will need to address.