The Special Ones (manager talk)
- Thread starter Dummy Hoy
- Start date
Carlo Ancelotti has signed a new contract at Real Madrid. The assumption was that he would finish this season at Madrid then take the open Brazil job. Brazil has had an interim manager on a part time basis while they waited for Ancelotti. I wonder if they got news about Xabi Alonso who many assumed would be off to Madrid this summer.
https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/1740708272271958450?s=46&t=XvGOrrWIyL-5CHVVL_0JYQ
https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/1740708272271958450?s=46&t=XvGOrrWIyL-5CHVVL_0JYQ
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Rooney out at Birmingham after 15 games.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/jan/02/wayne-rooney-sacked-as-birmingham-manager-after-just-15-games-in-charge
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/jan/02/wayne-rooney-sacked-as-birmingham-manager-after-just-15-games-in-charge
Have all three of Rooney, Lampard, and Gerrard already flamed out? Stevie G is crashing hard in Saudi Arabia with what looks to be one of the higher profile squads and he hadn't covered himself in much glory up to that move. I can't see him ever managing Liverpool at this point (let alone as Klopp's successor), which had to be his ultimate goal.
Well - I suppose Stevie G could always go back to Rangers? Thats the only place he’s had good success. The Villa gig was basically “meh” - obviously Emery’s results with more or less the same squad is not a good look.
But Emery flopped at Arsenal so who knows. What’s Lampard up to these days?
Maybe this is another example of superstars making lousy coaches.
It’s all so complex.
Look at Xabi Alonso right now - he’s the belle of the ball. I was pretty shocked that Madrid re-upped Ancellotti instead of letting the old man head to Brazil and signing up Alonso.
But stepping back, it does make sense. Before rising to a mega-club, it’s probably best for managers to prove themselves in a least 2 different contexts.
And obviously Pep breaks that rule, so who knows.
Putting aside Florentino Perez’s desire to make a splash, keeping Carlo does make a lot of sense for all parties. He’s managed the team through a difficult transition period, winning the league, a Champions League, and Copa del Rey in the process. The young players are playing well right now. The team has had an injury crisis from hell this year yet still top the league and are looking good in the Champions League. This was supposed to be transition year as they built towards Mbappe or whoever not named Joselu at the 9. Perez has actually shown remarkable discipline in building this squad and replacing the manager just when the Death Star becomes a fully armed and operational battle station seems like a bad idea.
For Carlo, he is living in a city he adores managing one of the premier clubs in the world (if not the premier club). He works with his son and gets to see his grandkids every day. It’s a lot to give up. That Brazil job might not be looking so great the way they’ve been playing either.
I suppose I haven’t really adjust to Darth Vader being deliberate & strategic. Scary stuff.
That does sound perfect for Carlo. Happy for him.
But wither Brazil? Missing out on a year of training during a transition era is rough for any country, but if feels like a power vacuum at the head of Brazil’s squad is even more tumultuous given the pitched politics, big money, and external interest at play.
Of the three I know the least about SG so I’ll not say anything on him. The others obviously I know through their Everton ties.
Lampard is a nice guy. The players like him. Those aren’t necessarily compliments. He didn’t ***demand much, of his players, or of the opposition on the pitch. He had some success in coaching up individual players but his sides lacked, what’s the right word, rigor? purpose? They were too easy to play through, and couldn’t develop an attacking identity- he had a brief spell of coaching the team to “enjoy their football” ie try to go end to end with better clubs and we got ripped apart. Individual moments of inspiration saved the club, too infrequently. Tell me to identify the Lampard style and I can’t, other than to get overrun in the middle of the park. I do think a career of being an elite player surrounded by other elite players left him ill equipped to do the hard parts of coaching. There’s a bit of La di da about Frank
Rooney, a different feel. His MLS experience showed that he had the humility. No star turn mentality, he worked hard and by all accounts earned the players respect for reasons other than his living legend player status. I don’t know what happened at Birmingham but I know what happened at Everton in his last playing spell there and at DC - he got arrested for episodes of public intoxication-at DC he was inebriated in the airport and opened a secure door. It was Only a misdemeanor but eventually the DC stint was cut short because his wife “missed England” and wanted to take the kids home- code for “Wayne is getting hammered and screwing everything in sight.” My sense is he hasn’t dealt with this stuff and whether or not a particular episode occurs to derail him, he can’t keep the players and management onside due to his own lack of self control. Which is a shame because there seems to be a good coach and good guy under there.
edit: check out Wayne’s mugshot at thet link- presumably taken several hours after he ingested his substances- and he’s still higher than the goddamn moon.
I don’t think it will happen but…
…Jose to Brazil would be incredible theater. It might bring down the entire nation, but my god, it would be entertaining for the neutrals.
I’m also looking forward to the inevitable Jose to LA Galaxy someday. MLS is not ready for Mourinho mind games.
…Jose to Brazil would be incredible theater. It might bring down the entire nation, but my god, it would be entertaining for the neutrals.
I’m also looking forward to the inevitable Jose to LA Galaxy someday. MLS is not ready for Mourinho mind games.
I doubt Stevie G will go back to Rangers. Worth noting in the 3 seasons he was there he won a single league title - the 20/21 season. Credit for going undefeated that season, i'll not knock that. His remit, to stop Celtic's 10 in a row and he did that. But that's all he won few and Old Firm managers get away with that. Celtic won everything else in his time here. Folk up here know that Celtic dropped the ball on that. Underestimated Rangers and didn't spend when they've got (for a Scottish Club) loads of money in the bank. Celtic did not spend. Rangers did. Brendan left mid season due to his ambitions not aligning with the penny pinching board. Neil Lennon came back to manage and it was a disastrous appointment IMO.
Stevie G got every penny Rangers could possibly give him. Many of us were baffled as to where the money was coming from. I think Rangers sold off (yet) more shares as one way of raising funds for him. He was also able to use his contacts and bring up some good young talent who wanted to play for Stevie. Players good enough for the SPL but not the EPL. Previous managers didn't get as much time or money. I mean he managed to get Defoe from Bournemouth on loan.
So yeah Gerrard won one trophy out of nine domestic contested, celtic won the rest.
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If they want a Portuguese manager with experience working in Brazil, and with Neymar, Jorge Jesus is currently doing a second stint in Saudi Arabia for the big paycheck. I suspect he would happily take a lot less once his contract expires to relocate to Brazil; but I've seen reports Brazil's FA have ruled him out because he is a massive asshole (Yes, even bigger than Jose).
Multiple reports indicating Stevie G is on very thin ice at Al-Etifaq …
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/jan/04/steven-gerrard-shielded-by-status-but-al-ettifaq-job-in-the-balance
This seems the best of both worlds for Gerrard - if they sack him they still have to pay his ginormous salary - and he doesn’t have to stay in an increasingly dreadful situation.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/jan/04/steven-gerrard-shielded-by-status-but-al-ettifaq-job-in-the-balance
This seems the best of both worlds for Gerrard - if they sack him they still have to pay his ginormous salary - and he doesn’t have to stay in an increasingly dreadful situation.
On the morning of the Basque derby, Sid Lowe (Spain correspondent for the Guardian and ESPN) put out a piece about the managers from the tiny province of Gipuzkoa. I’ve listed them all before, either in this thread or elsewhere, so I won’t list them again but it’s absurd. Lowe “branches out” to other managers from close by. The province has the most professional soccer players per capita in Spain, the big city of San Sebastián (heaven on earth IMO) at one point had the most Michelin Stars per capita in the world, and the Basque region boasted the most chefs per capita in the world. I’d like to think there is a link between great players/ managers and great food.
At the start of the season, a place smaller than Dorset provided 20% of all Premier League managers, for goodness sake.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/39293565/from-arteta-alonso-why-many-top-managers-basque
At the start of the season, a place smaller than Dorset provided 20% of all Premier League managers, for goodness sake.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/39293565/from-arteta-alonso-why-many-top-managers-basque
Jose and Roma part ways.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67990821
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67990821
https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1747173844148703278?s=20
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A long time coming for Jose. As much fun as him managing Brazil would be, I think he’ll cash some Saudi checks for a bit.
Roma had a bad start but aren’t that far off Europe. Firing Mourinho so you can hire an inexperienced De Rossi is a pretty weird path forward. You can convince me that firing Mourinho is the right move but only if you’ve got a good manager lined up
He's now 60. Most managers of his esteem will transition to international football by now. It's probably an ego blow, but that is where he will need to end up if he wants to manage on a big stage going forward.
De Rossi is a club legend. That often trumps experience, or even if it's a good idea, for Iberian clubs.
What’s the most prestigious international gig available ? Is that samba music I hear ? ( Brazil parking the bus would be hilarious )
Brazil brought Dorival on as their manager through WC2026. I imagine Portugal might have an interest. In terms of personal entertainment, the Special One to Barcelona sounds amazing.
Speaking of Barca, I had the idea that de Zerbi would be an amazing tactical fit. The combination of technical prowess among the GK and defenders matched with the pace and skill of the wingers plus the tactical acumen of the mids…it feels like de Zerbi’s system would find its greatest expression with a Barca squad.
There’s a million reasons why it wouldn’t happen, especially anytime soon, but once I had that thought I couldn’t forget it.
There’s a million reasons why it wouldn’t happen, especially anytime soon, but once I had that thought I couldn’t forget it.
They reached out to Mourinho after the World Cup, but he said no. Martinez managed them to the Euros with no drama, and I'm not sure Jose and Ronaldo are good after their time at Real Madrid, but European jobs may open up after this Summer.
He described managing international football as a form of retirement in the past. He will only take a job if he's run out of appealing club options (IE he's not going back to manage in Portugal or over here to work in MLS).
Troy Deeney is out at Forest Green Rovers https://x.com/SkySportsNews/status/1748099617206456776?s=20
I wonder if Mourinho would go to Palace. He seems to have a soft spot for them, Hodgson is definitely gone at the end of this season, if not sooner, he gets to go to London, etc.
Whether Parish has the money for Jose is the biggest question.
even Jurgen is tired of Tom Werner and John Henry https://x.com/SkySportsNews/status/1750833948094005442?s=20
I think the obvious solution here is to get Gerrard or Jose to Liverpool. Or maybe Rafa round 3?
I know that it’s Barcelona, but I’d be very careful taking that job. Finances are shot to shit, and they’ve got some guys who are on the back nine of their career and some young players that need a couple years before they’re ready for prime time. And thats not the most patient Fanbase.
I know Barca’s results have been bad lately, but it seems insane to me that the club allowed Xavi to get so frustrated and discouraged that he decided to resign in under three years. He’s a club legend, won La Liga last year, is doing well integrating the young talent, and is doing well managing the club’s troubles (Camp Nou is under renovation, money is tight or non-existent, etc.). I don’t know who will actually want this job — if the pressure is so immense that Xavi bails, I’m not sure who the ideal candidate would be. It’s a total mess that makes me more grateful for the continuity under Simeone.
I went on Wiki to look at Barca's manager history, and aside from Enrique, LVG, Pep and Cruyff, no one had successful 3-season run. Perhaps Barca is overrated outside of those men