Monaco and Paris Saint Germain, two of France's most storied franchises, now the property of wealthy benefactors. Many have criticized the spending of the clubs, and accusations have been thrown their way of ruining the parity within Ligue 1. What I ask is, can the newfound fortunes of these two clubs be the saving grace for French football ?
2011 was the year that the Qatar Investment Authority became the major shareholders of Paris Saint Germain. Their infusion of cash would see PSG reach new heights, and attract talent that otherwise would have never given Ligue 1 the time of day. With Leonardo as their director of football, PSG slowly began developing a deadly squad with Javier Pastore as their first marquee signing. Almost immediately neutrals the world over declared PSG the undisputed kings of Ligue 1. Though a resilient Montpellier denied the Parisians a title that year, success would come the following season with a slew of galactico-esque signings. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Salvatore Sirigu, oh and David Beckham for good measure.
Monaco also witnessed a change in ownership in 2011 as Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev purchased 66% of the club. However due to their position in Ligue 2 at the time, we would have to wait to see them truly flex their financial muscle. Their time would come as Monaco marked their return to the top flight by signing the likes of Falcao, James Rodriguez, and João Moutinho to name a few. Spending roughly 140 million pounds during the summer, few clubs could match their financial prowess.
Many have now tried to now label Ligue 1 as a two horse race. While initially I had shared such fears, the result has been anything but. The mega spending of PSG & Monaco has had a reverberating effect on the other clubs of France. It has forced teams to hold onto talent longer and also be a little more liberal in their spending. In fact, the competition this year has been fierce with no guaranteed title favorite.
The spotlight is now on our league, and what's good for the goose is good for the gander right? If PSG & Monaco can raise the profile of Ligue 1 outside of France (which it has)then so be it. More importantly the so called arrival of these clubs could not come at a more crucial time for French football.
French teams under performing in European competitions has taken its toll on our UEFA coefficient. This will mark the second year in a row where only a single side has progressed to the round of 16 in the Champions League. All too often the stars of Ligue 1 are only here temporarily. Your team does well, draws the attention of a foreign club, and off goes the talent. The deep pockets of PSG and Monaco counter this trend, all to the benefit of our league's coefficient.
Walking the streets of Manhattan the other day, I saw for the first time a guy wearing a PSG shirt. I called out to him in French, only to find out he had no idea what I was saying! Switching to English (and a little embarrassed), we had a brief conversation about PSG's result earlier in the day. It ended with the man telling me how he was a recent convert to the club and that was that. I can put aside the accusations of what some would call a a glory hunter and counter you with this. Through following PSG he will learn of the rivalry with Olympique de Marseille, the magical Lyon side that dominated the early 2000's, and why Nantes return to Ligue 1 is a big deal. Stars like Valbuena, Ruffier, Lacazette, Hamouma, Obraniak, and Mavuba will become household names to him (hopefully).
We live in an age where clubs seek to grow their base via the foreign market. Ligue 1 in this respect, has some catching up to do. If PSG & Monaco can be ambassadors to the world, and introduce people to our game, then I say bienvenue. Wishful thinking on my part? Perhaps, but we have to start somewhere don’t we?
