Fernandez 'said no' to PSG job

The new Montpellier boss claims that he was offered the opportunity to replace Antoine Kombouare and has no regrets over his decision to spurn les Parisiens' advances

Jean Fernandez says he rejected the chance to take charge at Paris Saint-Germain before the club appointed Carlo Ancelotti as coach in 2011.

Fernandez, who joined Montpellier at the start of July, had been without a job since leaving Nancy last January with the club languishing in the second half of the Ligue 1 table.

However, the 58-year-old Frenchman insists his coaching ability had previously caught the eye of les Rouge-et-bleu owners, though his love for the south of France prompted him to decline the invitation.

"At one time, I was approached by agents appointed by Qatar to see if possibly the PSG job could interest me," the 2010 French manager of the year was quoted by Le10sport.com.

"I said no. Firstly, because there was a coach in place- Antoine Kombouare.

"And then because there are certain things that I will not do. I'm from the south. I appreciate the work done by the Qataris, I have great respect for Paris, but for me, it is all about Marseille and Montpellier, not Paris."

Ancelotti led PSG to the title in May but left this summer to take over at Real Madrid and has been replaced at the helm by Laurent Blanc.