"We agree on many things": Gilli welcomes Marco Neppe's arrival at Paris FC

Paris FC begins a new chapter in their development with Marco Neppe's appointment as sporting director. Stéphane Gilli, whose future had been questioned, reaffirms his position while praising early conversations with the former Bayern Munich executive.

Marco Neppe's arrival at Paris FC marks a turning point for the Parisian club's structure. The former Bayern Munich technical director, who built his reputation in Bavaria between 2021 and 2024, joins an organisation in full transformation since the takeover by the Arnault family and Red Bull.

Early exchanges between Stéphane Gilli and his new sporting director suggest the foundations of a promising partnership. "He arrived yesterday and introduced himself to the squad. That's it. He was at training afterwards, and we spoke in the evening too. We spent a long time together, and as I say, this is a new chapter," the Paris FC manager explained.

This "new chapter" comes at a particularly delicate moment for Gilli, whose position had attracted speculation amid the club's structural changes. The German brings strategic vision forged at European football's highest level, precisely where Paris FC now aims to establish itself permanently.

"He'll bring us his expertise, everything he's seen and experienced. So far it's going very well because we're getting to know each other. He knows the team well, he's analysed us, he likes how we play, our style of football, and we agree on many things in our analysis," Gilli noted, revealing an encouraging harmony of vision.

Acknowledging the Ferracci legacy

Before looking ahead, the Paris FC manager made a point of acknowledging François Ferracci's work, the architect of their historic promotion to Ligue 1. This gesture reveals Gilli's sense of gratitude and loyalty.

"Before talking about Marco Neppe, I'd like to mention François Ferracci, who has left the club. I started just over two and a half years ago with him, and he's the person who chose me, who trusted me with a big project, getting promoted to Ligue 1, naturally with the president's support," Gilli reflected.

This public loyalty to his former collaborator speaks to the manager's character, someone who doesn't forget those who believed in him. "Today I'm grateful for that. We worked together, we built a squad over more than two years to achieve our objective of promotion to Ligue 1. And we did it," he emphasised, highlighting their collective achievement.

Legitimacy reaffirmed amid speculation

The press conference revealed the questions surrounding Gilli's future within Paris FC's new project. The manager addressed these concerns with a blend of humour and determination, showing he'd anticipated such queries.

"I could see that question coming, couldn't I? You're laughing too, aren't you? Yes, of course there are changes, that's part of a club's life," he said with a smile, defusing the tension before sharing his perspective.

His response demonstrated a shrewd understanding of the situation: "Today I'm part of this project and I'm proud to be part of this project. To answer your question, I think whether it's me or others, we're judged on our results. So it's up to me to perform, up to me to make my team perform."

This professional clarity comes with visible confidence in his relationships with the new leadership. "From all my interactions with Antoine Arnault, with Jürgen Klopp, with Marco Neppe, or even president Pierre Ferracci, I feel they have confidence in me. That said, we remain managers, we're still judged on our results, still judged on our team's performance," he stated firmly.