Blanc slams critics after PSG clinch title

Laurent Blanc has hit back at his critics after leading Paris Saint-Germain to their second successive Ligue 1 title.

PSG were handed the title as Monaco were held to a 1-1 draw by Guingamp on Wednesday, although their party was somewhat spoiled by a 2-1 home defeat to Rennes.

The capital club also won the Coupe de la Ligue last month and the Trophee des Champions in August, although they suffered disappointment in the UEFA Champions League, exiting the competition at the quarter-final stage with an away-goals defeat to Chelsea.

Blanc has received his fair share of criticism in the media, while Lorient boss Christian Gourcuff dubbed the 48-year-old as “a coach who doesn’t coach” earlier in the campaign.

However, Blanc believes both he and his backroom staff deserve credit for PSG’s achievements this season.

“I appreciate this one because, at the start of the season, everyone thought Paris would be champions with any old coach,” Blanc is quoted as saying by RMC.

“That’s perhaps true, but I’m not convinced of that. You have to pick up points, give an identity to the team’s play and put in place a philosophy with great players who you have to convince and with whom you have to discuss things. There are moments of tension.

“The PSG coach is not just a guy who puts down 11 names and tells them: ‘Do what you want, win!’ – that would be too easy. The players are important, but the technical staff are too in both the good and the bad times.

“People don’t know what they’re talking about. There is a lot of jealousy, and that is a bad fault. It always ends up turning nasty. I don’t have that fault.

“People need to come and see how we work. I’m at training every day, and I work just as the coaches and technical staff do.

“I do the same as the others – I participate in training and in the choice of certain things. I delegate a lot, but a coach at a big club has to delegate because there are lots of things to do other than on the football pitch.

“It’s a method of working, and I don’t criticise anyone. You’re always right when you get results. I have had the good fortune to work with great coaches abroad. You have to be open-minded and not think your method is the only good one.”