By JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 11:59 a.m. ET Dec. 30, 2011
PARIS (AP) -Paris Saint-Germain took the next step in its quest for European domination by announcing Carlo Ancelotti as its new coach on Friday.
Having secured Qatari backing, and spent ?82 million ($116 million) on players, PSG's next objective was to recruit a coach of world renown, who will help attract star players to the club.
Ancelotti, the former Chelsea, AC Milan and Juventus manager, replaced Antoine Kombouare, who left his job earlier Friday even though PSG leads the French standings at the halfway stage of the season.
"I am delighted to be here as coach of Paris Saint-Germain," Ancelotti said at a news conference on Friday. "I think PSG is a fantastic club. I think I can do a great job to help PSG become a big club in Europe."
PSG has not played in the Champions League since 2004, but was a semifinalist in the competition in 1995 and won the now defunct European Cup Winners' Cup the following year.
Ancelotti's appointment on a 2 1/2 year contract had been expected since the club's sporting director Leonardo met with the 52-year-old Italian in Paris last month.
Leonardo would not reveal Ancelotti's salary, but it is likely to be way more than any other coach has ever been paid in the French league, with French reports estimating his annual salary at ?6 million ($8.5 million).
"Ancelotti's salary is within the market," Leonardo said. "It's a price that other big European clubs would be willing to pay. There's a European market, but realizing this is new in France. I know its difficult for some to understand.
"But what drives this club is passion, not money."
Ancelotti could be followed to the club by several big-name players in January, including former England captain David Beckham, who is weighing up a move from Los Angeles Galaxy.
The new coach would not be drawn on which players he might target with the hefty financial backing of owners Qatar Sports Investment, who took over in June. He did admit, however, that he admired AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato, who is struggling to get into Milan's team.
"I don't know if it's a good idea to name names right now as these are players who have a certain status in their clubs," he said. "I didn't come here to completely shake up the team. It's in first place."
Former France midfielder Claude Makelele will take on a coaching role under Ancelotti, who led Milan to the Champions League title in 2003 and 2007, and guided Chelsea to the Premier League and FA Cup double two seasons ago.
Ancelotti was sacked by Chelsea in May after failing to win a trophy in his second season.
"The English experience helped me a lot, it was a fantastic experience, but there is a great challenge here with PSG," Ancelotti said. "The club has everything to succeed and enormous ambition."
? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45824848/ns/sports-soccer/
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