Thursday, 27th June, 2013

Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc has vowed to take a bold new approach for the club, even if he was not the first-choice as replacement for Carlo Ancelotti.

Blanc has taken over duties from Ancelotti – who left for Real Madrid – and he has been appointed on a two-year deal, following a long summer of uncertainty for PSG.



Several names had been tipped for the job, including Russia national team coach Fabio Capello, but Blanc emerged as manager in the end, with confirmation coming on Tuesday.

However, the former Bordeaux coach is unconcerned about the fact that he was lower down the pecking order, telling a press conference: "The most important thing is to be chosen.

relatedNewsStory

"Thank you very much to [sporting director] Leonardo, [club CEO] Jean-Claude Blanc and Mr President [Nasser Al-Khelaifi] for trusting me.

"We are putting in place a competent staff, with people who have the same desire that we have.

"I think and hope that the team will be further improved. But I also want to be ambitious in the game. When a club has been the champion and was in the Champions League, the goal is to do even better."

The most important task, for the moment, lies in convincing players to continue with his plans, especially with speculation around a possible switch to Barcelona for Thiago Silva.

And the club’s prolific striker in Zlatan Ibrahimovic will also come under scrutiny with new management, but Al-Khelaifi put paid to the rumours around both players.

He said: "Ibrahimovic and Silva will remain at the club until the end of their contracts."

Blanc does posses title-winning skills, having taken Bordeaux to the Ligue 1 crown in 2009, while the former Barcelona and Manchester United player expects his current squad to live up to expectations.

PSG won their first title for 19 years when they clinched the Ligue 1 title under Ancelotti, and Blanc has promised the bar will be set much higher this season, for individuals and the team.

"Ibrahmovic is a very important player for the club and is a professional, which is most important", Blanc added.

"He is an example for the team and for the other players, and will push the team towards next season’s goals.

"The goals are set very high, so I expect exemplary behaviour from all players. I want to unite everyone around the project that is Paris Saint-Germain."

Like betting on football? You simply must check out Inside Bet!