Paris St-Germain Win Title: How Luis Enrique has transformed the French part
“I only know how to compete”, it was said when he retired from playing in 2004. The management was the only option for the former Barcelona and Spain forward.
As a coach, Luis Enrique copied the philosophy of his former teammate Pep Guardiola from the beginning.
He has not brought anything truly new to the table, but, using the tons of energy he has, he became one of the best representatives of a wider cultural change.
Her relentless edge is now guiding everything in Paris St-Germain, although initially she didn’t even want work.
He thought that the club only imported names. Players like Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. Not coating, he hired.
But when she felt that philosophy had changed – who now wanted to build a team – reconsidered.
And, immediately after his arrival, Neymar and Marco Verratti were disappeared. Messi, who could have remained if he had known that Luis Enrique was coming, had already been committed to Inter Miami.
It includes and appreciates the importance of individual stars, but only up to a certain point.
In a recent documentary on his first season at the PSG, Mbappe was seen, his player star at the time, on his obligation to fulfill his defensive duties – immediately after the player had marked a hat -trick.
“He is the best player in the world,” the Asturian insisted several times. “But if the team with the best player in the world had always won, PSG would have eight Champions League titles and didn’t.”
It is a manager who respects the structure, but he is never afraid to express his mind.
“I’m not afraid of the worst in football … if they fire me, no problem,” he said. “The next day I will go for a bicycle trip.”
It is that perspective that helped him ride a rocky start last season, including a 4-1 defeat against Newcastle in the Champions League and heavy criticism from supporters.
But he remained calm and kept confidence in his football beliefs. Structure, repetition and positional discipline.
His dream? One day, managers will have microphones in the stands and will be able to talk about the players through their positions during a game.
He had to reconnect a team dependent on chaos when he arrived in Paris.
So he spent little time in an office, instead sitting with his assistants, working directly with his players and incorporating his ideas.
Some players push back against his intensity. Mbappe, for example, did not like being insulting as a number nine or publicly challenged after a hat -trick.
But others thrive, because it doesn’t make your favorites.
