THOMAS TUCHEL SAYS he has not been told he must win the Champions League as the new Paris Saint-Germain head coach insisted it is too early to think about European success.
Former Borussia Dortmund boss Tuchel was unveiled on Sunday, the German replacing Unai Emery after the Ligue 1 winners suffered more Champions League failure.
PSG lost in the last 16 this season, just like they did in 2016-17, having bowed in the quarter-finals during the four previous campaigns.
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The French capital club have dominated domestically with five Ligue 1 titles in six seasons, however, Champions League glory is what their Qatari owners crave. But Tuchel called for patience as the 44-year-old tries to implement his philosophy on the treble winners.
“It is dangerous to have this way of thinking,” Tuchel told SFR Sport when asked about expectations in the Champions League,”because if your ambitions are too high, you can never satisfy them.
“How many clubs can win the Champions League? Maybe 12, 13, 14 and in the end there is only one club that raises the trophy. It’s way too early to talk about that. This is my deepest feeling. And I’m not talking about the Champions League, but everything else. It’s way too soon.
“First, we need to put in place a framework. Then you have to create a team spirit. We will have to work hard for that. And when we get that, we have to take care of it every day. From the month of July, every day that passes.
Only if this process is realised, if it is done in a team and each player devotes himself to it and adheres to this state of mind, then at that moment we will go through the steps step by step to get to the top. Only in this way will we be able to win the biggest titles. I believe intimately with that. This is the biggest challenge. And I will start with that.
“I’ve never been told ‘You must win this, that and that’. We want to create something special around a real team spirit and a style of play. That every supporter present at the stadium or in front of his screen feels all that. Something special can happen.
“I do not want to talk about the semi-finals of Champions League. It’s too early to talk about that. Ask me the question in the spring if we are ready. If we are, we will have come a long way before. I want players to tell themselves that cup games against second-division teams are just as important as those of the Champions League. And only with this state of mind can we achieve great things.
“Do not set priorities. If everyone is totally dedicated to this project, to this desire to advance the team, then we will succeed beautiful things. But for sure I’m in Paris to win and our goals are the highest. No one has more ambition than me for the players and the team. But it will be step by step.”
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No Champions League pressure as PSG's Tuchel calls for patience
THOMAS TUCHEL SAYS he has not been told he must win the Champions League as the new Paris Saint-Germain head coach insisted it is too early to think about European success.
Former Borussia Dortmund boss Tuchel was unveiled on Sunday, the German replacing Unai Emery after the Ligue 1 winners suffered more Champions League failure.
PSG lost in the last 16 this season, just like they did in 2016-17, having bowed in the quarter-finals during the four previous campaigns.
The French capital club have dominated domestically with five Ligue 1 titles in six seasons, however, Champions League glory is what their Qatari owners crave. But Tuchel called for patience as the 44-year-old tries to implement his philosophy on the treble winners.
“It is dangerous to have this way of thinking,” Tuchel told SFR Sport when asked about expectations in the Champions League,”because if your ambitions are too high, you can never satisfy them.
“How many clubs can win the Champions League? Maybe 12, 13, 14 and in the end there is only one club that raises the trophy. It’s way too early to talk about that. This is my deepest feeling. And I’m not talking about the Champions League, but everything else. It’s way too soon.
“First, we need to put in place a framework. Then you have to create a team spirit. We will have to work hard for that. And when we get that, we have to take care of it every day. From the month of July, every day that passes.
“I’ve never been told ‘You must win this, that and that’. We want to create something special around a real team spirit and a style of play. That every supporter present at the stadium or in front of his screen feels all that. Something special can happen.
“I do not want to talk about the semi-finals of Champions League. It’s too early to talk about that. Ask me the question in the spring if we are ready. If we are, we will have come a long way before. I want players to tell themselves that cup games against second-division teams are just as important as those of the Champions League. And only with this state of mind can we achieve great things.
“Do not set priorities. If everyone is totally dedicated to this project, to this desire to advance the team, then we will succeed beautiful things. But for sure I’m in Paris to win and our goals are the highest. No one has more ambition than me for the players and the team. But it will be step by step.”
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