PSG boss Pochettino backed after nomination snub for top Ligue 1 award

Mauricio Pochettino has found an ally in Peter Bosz after the Paris Saint-Germain boss was snubbed in nominations for a Ligue 1 coach of the year award.

Lyon boss Bosz said Pochettino’s PSG have produced “a very good season” and commended Pochettino for his work in Paris, where he led a star-studded team to title success.

The French players’ union, UNFP, revealed nominees this week for the Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 prizes.

Pochettino did not make the five-man shortlist for the Ligue 1 coach award, which instead was made up of Christophe Galtier (Nice), Bruno Genesio (Rennes), Antoine Kombouare (Nantes), Jorge Sampaoli (Marseille) and Julien Stephan (Strasbourg).

Galtier won the award last year when he led Lille to the league title, pipping PSG, but this year has been a procession, with Pochettino’s team 14 points clear of second-placed Marseille with three games remaining.

Bosz said of Pochettino: “Of course he has the best individual players, but in my opinion to build a team is the hardest thing at this club.

“He’s a good coach. He’s champion of France with the best players certainly, but you can’t be champion all the time. His job is the most difficult in our championship.

“They’ve been champions since October, that’s clear. They’ve always been ahead. They’ve produced a very good season.”

 Parisians have been nominated for @UNFP trophies!

▫️ @KMbappe – Ligue 1 player of the year
▫️ @gigiodonna1 – Ligue 1 goalkeeper of the year
▫️ @nunomendes_25 – Ligue 1 young player of the year

 #TrophéesUNFP

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 4, 2022

PSG were knocked out of the Coupe de France by Nice on penalties in January, and saw their Champions League challenge ended in March by Real Madrid, who came back from 2-0 down on aggregate deep into the second leg of their last-16 tie to win 3-2 overall, setting the tone for the Spanish giants’ dramatic run to the final.

By winning only two major trophies – this season’s Ligue 1 and last term’s Coupe de France – Pochettino has faced speculation over whether PSG intend to keep him at the helm.

While Pochettino was not included in the UNFP nominations, and nor were Neymar and Lionel Messi, PSG do have some representation ahead of the May 15 Trophees du Football ceremony.

Kylian Mbappe has been nominated as a contender for player of the year, Gianluigi Donnarumma is on the goalkeeper of the year shortlist, and teenage left-back Nuno Mendes features in the five-man pool for the young player of the year honour.