By Gregory Blachier and Olivier Guillemain
PARIS, April 26 (Reuters) – Former Chelsea and AC Milan
coach Carlo Ancelotti has shrugged off media speculation he is
only a short-term appointment at Paris St Germain by committing
himself to the French club for “as long as possible”.
The Italian replaced Antoine Kombouare at the Ligue 1 team,
owned by the wealthy Qatari Sports Investment group, in
December.
PSG have slipped from first to second since Ancelotti, who
won the Champions League with Milan in 2003 and 2007, took
charge but they are just two points behind leaders Montpellier
with five games to go.
“I hope to stay as long as possible,” he told Reuters in an
interview at the club’s Le Camp des Loges training facility.
“I know my time here will depend on results, and that’s
fair, but we’re working well and will improve. The whole
project, building a competitive team, inspiring a new
philosophy, weighed heavily on my decision to come here.”
PSG have failed to qualify for the Champions League for six
years but spent more than 80 million euros ($105.84 million) in
the close season to overhaul their squad, including splashing
out a French record fee of 42 million on Argentina playmaker
Javier Pastore.
“We want to be competitive in the Champions League as soon
as next year and I think we will be,” said Ancelotti who needs
to finish in the top three to qualify.
“We want to go as far as we can although it is hard to set
up a goal until we enter the competition. Making the
quarter-finals would be a good start as it would mean being one
of Europe’s top-eight clubs.”
GIFTED PLAYERS
Ancelotti, however, will need to strengthen a squad that
failed to reach the last 32 in this season’s Europa League.
“We have the facilities we need, we have a great stadium but
we clearly lack the strength in depth to be called a great
team,” he said ahead of Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash at third-placed
Lille.
“We need gifted players and we will try to find some but we
will not revamp the team. We will add a few players to improve
the squad’s overall quality.”
Ancelotti could be handed the top players he is seeking
after PSG chairman Nasser al-Khelaifi said he would spend as
much as 100 million euros in the next transfer window.
“It is difficult for any team to win the Champions League,”
said the Italian.
“It is impossible to say when we will be able to win because
it needs everything to be in the right place at the right time.
It was difficult for Real Madrid and Barcelona,” added Ancelotti
referring to this season’s beaten semi-finalists.
Chelsea’s victory over holders Barcelona came as no shock to
the Italian.
“I was not that surprised as Chelsea are talented and
experienced,” he said.
($1 = 0.7559 euros)
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)
