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