Paris Saint-Germain’s pitch crisis has moved from an August embarrassment to a potential dismissal, with head grounds manager Jonathan Calderwood called to a preliminary meeting that could result in his departure.
Key takeaways
- Calderwood, appointed by PSG in 2013 from Aston Villa, faces a disciplinary process that may end in dismissal.
- The action follows the unplayable Parc des Princes surface that forced PSG’s Ligue 1 opener against Rennes to be switched to Roazhon Park.
- PSG were fined €150,000 after failing to stage the fixture, which ended 2-2 in Rennes.
- Rennes are challenging the decision to give PSG the return match at the Parc des Princes in March.
- PSG’s fourth-place finish in last season’s Ligue 1 pitch rankings also dissatisfied the club’s hierarchy.
A high-profile appointment under threat
Calderwood arrived in Paris as a statement of intent. PSG became the first Ligue 1 club to appoint a dedicated ground manager, bringing in the Northern Irishman from Aston Villa at a time when such specialist roles were far more common in English football.
His credentials were strong. Calderwood had been named the Premier League’s leading groundsman in both 2009 and 2012, and PSG hired him as part of a wider drive for elite standards around the club.
More than a decade later, however, his position is in jeopardy. PSG have begun a formal procedure by summoning him to a meeting held before a possible termination of his contract. Neither the club nor Calderwood provided comment.
Rennes dispute still unresolved
The case stems from the opening weekend of the Ligue 1 season, when the Parc des Princes pitch was judged unsuitable for PSG’s home match with Rennes. The fixture was reversed and played at Rennes’ Roazhon Park instead, where the teams drew 2-2.
PSG attributed the condition of the surface to the exceptional summer heatwave affecting Paris and other parts of France. The club were nevertheless punished with a €150,000 fine for being unable to meet the original fixture arrangements.
League authorities allowed PSG to host the second meeting at the Parc des Princes in March, but Rennes have contested that outcome. The Breton club argue that the circumstances should not be treated as exceptional and have appealed to the French National Olympic and Sports Committee.
The committee must examine the appeal before 15 November and issue a non-binding opinion. The Ligue de Football Professionnel board will then make the final decision, with a further move to the administrative courts possible.
Should the return fixture ultimately be moved back to Rennes, PSG would face a substantial loss of matchday income. The prospect adds another layer of pressure after the club’s surface ranked only fourth in Ligue 1 last season, behind Nice, Metz and Nantes — a notably low placing for a club accustomed to leading that table.
