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PSG fan base

May 16, 2013 //
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Football Fans

Apart from the unacceptable events that occurred during the trophy ceremony at the Trocadéro, there is a bigger problem at hand for the PSG staff. 10 000 to 15 000 fans attended on Monday for the third championship win of PSG’s history, and the first in 19 years. The Paris metropolitan area has 12 million people. Now take Manchester United and Barcelona where 500 000 and 600 000 fans showed up for the champion parades out of respective metropolitan areas numbering 2.2 million and 4.5 million inhabitants. Neither Barcelona nor Man United have waited 19 years to win a championship title, they win every other year since a couple of years and despite that the fans are there in big numbers. There is a huge lack of following and of passion for the PSG amongst the Paris population. The PSG, even with the hundreds of millions of euros that the Qatar is pouring into the club, won’t achieve the levels of a Barça or a Man United without a consequent fan base that goes along with it. Nice marketing problem at hand for the PSG management!

Maracanazos like to compare numbers.

Image credit: Dmitri Korobtsov

Categories Clubs

Is the PSG thinking of a building its own Masia?

July 23, 2012 //
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Paris Metro Map (Plan interactif des transports en Ile-de-France)

The PSG has always been my favorite French club. My father used to bring me to the Parc des Princes since I was age 5 and I have seen countless matches with some great players like Dahleb, Susic, Weah, Rai, Leonardo, Pauleta along the way. Now with the arrival of the Qatari financial backup, the PSG has a unique chance of competing amongst the best teams in Europe. The current strategy is to invest in star players, older and younger, to give a head start to the club and accelerate the path to stardom. I would advise the PSG to gor for what I call a “sandwich strategy”. This means investing both at the top for short term results, such as buying Ibrahimovic, but just as important invest at the bottom in a local Masia. The PSG has the unique chance in Europe to be the only major football club in a area of about 10 million inhabitants comprising Paris and the greater Paris. Imagine all the youth talent that a well made detection system could yield. The big difference with the past is that Qatari financial power can now be used to retain this talent. Imagine if the PSG could have detected and kept Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka, both native from Paris suburbs…

I would combine the idea of developing this home made Masia with a partnership with the Paris area transport system, the RATP. The RATP reaches out to most of the Parisian suburbs and would be a great fit in terms of a marketing strategy in building the Masia. The whole idea of discovering young talent would be combined with the image of the PSG using the RATP to reach out to hnudreds of thousands of kids. Some ideas that come at mind for this partnership:

  • Cheaper tickets to get to the Parc des Princes
  • PSG tv channel in selected metro, train and bus stops
  • PSG branding on RATP tickets, stations
  • PSG/RATP football academies and competitions then leading the best to integrate the Masia

I have had this idea for years now convinced that the transport system of such a big area like the Paris one is closely associated to the discovery of young talent for the PSG.

Maracanazos want their favorite club to succeed!

Image credit: enrevanche

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Categories Clubs, Uncategorized

Barça (Nadal) – Real (Federer)?

January 27, 2012 //
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Nadal won again against Federer in the Australian Open semi-final this morning. The comparison between the psychological advantage Nadal has over Federer with how the Blaugrana consistently defeat the Merengue is an intriguing one.

In his past clubs Mourinho always had the solution to win the psychological game. Think about how he brilliantly did that while at Chelsea and even more at Inter. Now compare the quality of players he has at Madrid with those he had at Inter. Clearly in favor of Real right? However, Mourinho has lost it ever since the memorable 5 – 0 defeat in Camp Nou over a year ago. Mourinho, for the first time ever is not leading the tactics, it’s Guardiola who imposes his vision and style on the clasicos. Just like Nadal does with Federer since some years now. Mourinho is constantly trying to adapt, change, combine tactics in reaction to Barça’s game. He did that with much more vista in yesterday’s game but the final verdict was yet again a Barça qualification. Many commentators actually thought Real could have won in yesterday’s beautiful clasico but I don’t agree. Real had to gather tons of efforts to dominate the game while you could tell Barça’s offensive potential just needed sparks to take off. Look at Barça’s first goal for proof.

I think Mourinho, like Federer, should stop living in denial and should accept their inferiority more publicly and start thinking of a new approach to their game. Easier to do for Mourinho than for Federer who has most of his career past him and who also has to deal with another “Barça”, namely Djokovic!

Maracanazos like to make comparisons.

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Categories Clubs, Coaches, Stars

When is a club truly great?

January 25, 2012 //
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ABZ-DNA

When the institution it represents is stronger than the players, the coaches, the management. Look at Mourinho’s current problems with Real Madrid. I don’t know if this is a grand scheme by the Great One to purposefully have Marca and As criticize him so as to win the support from the fans? One thing I am certain of is that the Real Madrid will not allow any coach to dictate what its DNA should be.

Latest: Barça 2 – Real 0 at half time with an incredible shot and goal by Dani Alves!!

Maracanazos know how to recognize truly great clubs.

Photo Credit: dullhunk

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Categories Clubs, Coaches

Financial Fair Play: letter to Michel Platini

November 25, 2011 //
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Treetops Golf Resort - Rick Smith Tradition Course, Gaylord, Michigan

Dear Michel,

You do allow me to call you Michel I hope? I have seen you play at least a dozen times when I was a kid in the Parc des Princes and your unforgettable goals against Bulgaria, Yougoslavia, and Spain to list just a few. I consider you as my favorite player of all times.

I am all for your Financial fair play concept. I think it’s the right way to fix the major problem football has been running into since some years.  You recently re-stated at the “Il Bello del Calcio” Gazzetta dello Sport Award the simple business concept that so many club owners have forgotten or don’t care about; don’t spend more than you earn! I would propose another option to your model that currently forbids any club in participating in the Champions League and Europa League if they don’t reach break-even by 2017 (and with maximum losses capped at different levels until then). The current financial fair play concept, if applied strictly, could well mean that clubs like Barça, Man United or Man City would risk not being able to participate in upcoming Champions or Europa Leagues. If you carry it through strictly, the level of participation could damage the overall quality of these tournaments which would then penalize the healthy clubs by generating less television and sponsorship revenues for them.

The Golf handicap model

Clubs with losses would still be able to participate but would start with a handicap in terms of negative points in the play-off round groups. The number of points below 0 would depend on the size of the loss. For example, a club with an annual loss of between €0 to €10 million would start the play-offs with -1 point, between €10 million and €50 million, -2 points, and so on. These numbers would need to be refined, it’s just the concept I am trying to explain here. In this scenario, you are not barring the entry to some of the prestigious loss making clubs but their chances of qualifying to the second round become much more difficult to attain. I feel this idea would bring the best of both worlds to the financial fair play concept but would still strongly encourage club owners to strive for financial health in the next coming years.

Maracanazos like to borrow from other sports.

Photo Credit:  danperry.com

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Categories Champions League, Clubs

El gran capitan

August 30, 2011 //
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José Gervasio Artigas

Lugano is about to sign with the Paris Saint-Germain. It’s certain to happen in the next day or so. I predict that’s a decisive move for the PSG to win the championship this year. Diego Lugano will bring the garra that can overcome any obstacle. Well done Leonardo!

Maracanazos wish a warm welcome to Diego Lugano!

Photo Credit: a_sorense

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Categories Clubs, Coaches, Stars, Thumbs up

Is Mourinho transforming Real Madrid into a mad dog?

August 19, 2011 //
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Mad Dog On Property Warning Sign

Looks like it after yesterday’s great game. I had already referred to Mourinho as being the first hacker coach in football’s history. The Special One is transforming the classy image that Real Madrid has patiently built up since 1902. Pepe and Marcelo are his preferred hound dogs in this image transformation of the Merengues. I wonder what the honorary president Alfredo Di Stéfano thinks about Mourinho’s doings.

Mourinho’s barking tactic can work but only if Real starts winning titles. The Real fans currently support their coach because they perceive that their team is edging closer to the arch-rival Barça. But like in politics, populism dies as quickly as it grows.

As long as Messi doesn’t get hurt and that Fabregas successfully integrates – he did so in the 10 minutes played yesterday – the new magic midfield with Iniesta and Xavi, I don’t think any howling dog will even get close to the ankles of the Blaugrana!

Maracanazos think that this Barça is the best club of all times!

Photo Credit: Vectorportal

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Categories Clubs, Coaches, Thumbs down

The Arsenal Mystery

August 17, 2011 //
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question-mark

I have always liked the Gunners. In the not so long existence of this blog, I have gone from unambiguous faith in the long-term vision of the club to the need to make some changes that would help in making this vision come true. Of the 4 points I had recommended, so far 2 have happened:

Buy a world class goal keeper. Lyon’s Lloris would be a perfect fit.
Instead of Lloris, Arsenal have found a world-class goalkeeper with Wojciech Szczesny.

Definitely position Van Persie as n°9.
Seems to be the case.

The other 2 are still open questions:

Arsenal lacks a player or 2 with the garra spirit. Jack Wilshere despite his young age is a player I would bet on to bring the fighting spirit that is needed to win titles. But apart from Wilshere, who else on the team has the b…. that it takes when times get rough?
Here I still think that Arsenal needs a player like Diego Lugano but Lazio seems to be ahead of the game…

If Fabregas leaves, buy Ribéry. I really don’t like his mentality but Wenger could be the coach to bring him back to the droit chemin. And I have a hunch that the English Premier League could just be the perfect kind of football and scene for Franck.
Fabregas has just been sold to Barça and Ribéry has decided to continue with Bayern. Nasri is about to leave (well I don’t really think that is a huge loss)…With the transfer market ending on August 31 at 23h59, time is short for Wenger. The problem is the lack of choice on the market right now for a player capable of conducting Arsenal’s game. Xavi, Muller? No. Perhaps Ganso?

Maracanazos won’t let go.

Photo credit: the.sprouts

 

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Categories Clubs

Leaving a trace?

June 30, 2011 //
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Airplane traces

The summer season is one really I don’t appreciate in football. Agents are calling journalists left and right to distribute bs about how much club x wants to pay his player a sum of y which my sons would have a hard time believing in. How many of these players are really worth the sums that are being talked about? Take the case of Samir Nasri. He has played some good games at Arsenal. Some. Has he made an impact with the Gunners? No. While at Marseille? No. For the Bleus? Not yet. And now his agent seems to be clinching a £20m deal with Man City! Has Nasri left a trace anywhere? Not….yet. Have Viera and Henry left a trace? Yes!

Maracanazos are tired of agents’ rumours.

Photo credit : Christian Haugen

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Categories Clubs, Stars, Thumbs down

Copa Libertadores update

May 27, 2011 //
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Penarol won the first semi-final leg against Velez Sarsfield 1 – 0 bringing back memories of the invincible Centenario! The success of the Celeste in the last World Cup has been contagious for Uruguayan clubs as well! The last time the Aurinegros won the Libertadores was in 1987. Now they must face the return match in Argentina on June 2. In the other semi-final, Santos FC also won 1-0 against Cerro Porteno. Will there be a remake of the famous 1962 Copa Libertadores won by Pele’s Santos – one of the best teams ever – against Penarol?

Maracanazos love the legendary Libertadores!

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Categories Clubs, Copa Libertadores
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