New Managers in Real Madrid and Brazil

It was a change foretold: Xabi Alonso, the former Real Sociedad, Liverpool and Real Madrid successful manager of Bayer Leverkusen was going to manage Real Madrid one day. After Carlo Ancelotti's meager season that appears to end with no titles, Xabi Alonso will now try to bring the unlikely success he brought to Leverkusen (giving them their first Bundesliga title ever), to Real Madrid.

Despite the poor season Carlo Ancelotti leaves Madrid with three Champions League titles in his two stints as Real Madrid manager, as well as two league titles, a Copa del Rey and a Club World Cup title since his second stint started in 2021. 

While Ancelotti is surely one of the most successful managers in the world, he is taking on a huge challenge, perhaps the biggest in world football: he will be the new manager of Brazil!And the first non-Brazilian ever to manage Brazil, so all eyes will be on him as Brazil tries to get up again from Dorival Junior's disastrous stint and humiliating defeat to Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers. 

All eyes will surely be on Ancelotti, much more than on Xabi Alonso!

Hjulmand out

Kasper Hjulmand, who has been manager of the Danish national team for the last three tournaments is a nice guy and a popular manager for Denmark who in 2021 made Danish fans happier for the national team that we had been for many years. That said, it was time for him to leave, and indeed since the disastrous 2022 World Cup he overstayed his job.

While one can argue that over his stay he has achieved good results in terms of qualifying Denmark to two Euros and a World Cup, the problem is less in terms of result and more in terms of style and commitment. There are plenty of excuses about the disaster in Qatar, but in truth there can be few excuses for what was the loss to Australia that eliminated Denmark. Following that, Denmark was shaky in qualification: leads were thrown away and a team with strong players from big clubs appeared to get nervous when subjected to pressure. They were unable to keep their heads cool.

Following a close qualification, expectation were not big in Denmark to these Euros, just a careful optimism (totally different from Qatar), and Danes appeared happy to have made it to the last-16 only to be eliminated by Germany. But in my view there were many troubles; I firmly believe that Denmark could have been much better if they had not played a cowardly defensive style in their first matches against Slovenia and Serbia, when instead they seemed satisfied against sides that were not better than Denmark. In small moments one saw the Denmark that could exist, as against England, but there was too much respect from the Danes about "the big teams". 

Denmark under Hjulmand has followed the trend of many teams: defend and be afraid to win. That only makes football less popular; the teams that are remembered are those who play good football and do not necessarily win, and in Denmark we have many examples of this: 1986, 1998, and even 2021.

I wish Mr. Hjulmand the best, but it is time for new blood and back to better football.

Top Ten Managers of 2017

I have over the years, on this blog, made annual top 10s of players and teams who in some way impressed me in the past year. This is a pure subjective list. Over the years I have nevertheless forgotten someone who is much more important perhaps than the players (an eternal discussion), but that of the manager. So now I will also make this list of 10 managers of the year 2017:

• 10. Marcelino: As a disillusioned fan of Valencia over many years it is great to see them now again at the top of the Spanish league (and hopefully back in the Champions League). Often players go to Valencia as a step towards other Spanish clubs, as the club has been in dire need of money for many years. At the same time a lot of notable managers have been in the club without success, so expectations are beginning to be low. But Marcelino, who successfully managed the local rivals of Villarreal until 2016, has done magic so far in Valencia, and hopefully he will continue.
• 9. Maurizio Sarri: In 2015 when Maurizio Sarri replaced Rafael Benitez as Napoli manager, many had not really heard about him: he had only managed Empoli for one season in Serie A, but otherwise his entire experience was in Serie B and C. But as Napoli manager he has taken the South Italians to the top of the league (they have qualified for the Champions League every season since he took over) and currently being the most serious threat to the dominance of Juventus.
• 8. Pep Guardiola: One thing about a good manager is that he learns on the job, and one has to admire Guardiola for that. In FC Barcelona he won everything, refining (not inventing) the tiki-taka with his extraordinary side. He then took the style to Bayern Munich, totally dominating the German league, although not taking the Champions League title, which in the end cost him. Manchester City immediately stepped in with a lot of money and players for him to build a competitive side. But in his first season he won nothing (for the first time in his career). He seemed surprised at a more competitive and intense league than he had tried before (contrary than for Barcelona or Bayern Munich, there are no easy matches in the Premier League), but in the new season he seems to have learned and adapted Manchester City to the rhythm. Still playing entertaining football, City seems bound for the title, and are also looking strong in the Champions League. Guardiola may yet prove he is not just a luxury manager.
•  7. Joachim Low: It is not clear whether Low would be a good manager for a club side, but there is no doubt that as a national team manager for Germany he is the perfect match. Not just because of the World Cup title, but also because he is a primer contributor to the development of football and young players in Germany. The 2014 victors are in a sure transition under Low, which was seen when Germany went on to win the Confederations Cup in style, with a lot of young players. Under Low, Germany are also favourites for the World Cup in Russia.
• 6. Jose Mourinho: As much as he is easy to dislike, one cannot deny the managerial skills of Jose Mourinho. Although his controversial personality seems to have led to chaos in both Real Madrid and Chelsea, he nevertheless has won titles everywhere: two Champions League titles (with Porto and Inter), Spanish League (with Real Madrid), Premier League (with Chelsea), Portuguese League, Italian League, etc. After his chaotic exists at Real Madrid and Chelsea, it did nevertheless seem like Manchester United was taking a chance with the controversial Portuguese. But the club is now on the right direction after the chaos under Louis Van Gaal. They won the Europa League, and are at the top of the Premier League, having returned to the Champions League as well. His style is not what the fans prefer, making it so much easier to dislike him! But football certainly needs someone like Mourinho.
• 5. Tite: The Brazilian was a successful club manager in Brazil before becoming Brazil national coach, taking Corinthians to a record Brazilian title, Copa Libertadores, and even a Club World Cup (in 2012, the last time a non-European side won). The Brazil he took over in 2016 were in complete disarray: nothing had happened under Dunga following the 1-7 World Cup humiliation of 2014, and they had performed poorly in the 2016 Copa America. In the World Cup qualifiers they were struggling. But Tite transformed the team: after he took over Brazil won 9 qualifiers in a row and swept to first place. It is not only that Brazil are winning again, but also that they are playing more modern and positive football, rather than the defensive physical style under Dunga. In this regard Tite has done a favour to the entire football world.
• 4. Massimilano Allegri: Allegri took over Juventus from Antonio Conte in 2014, and went on to win all the subsequent leagues, but also the Italian Cups for 2015, 2016 and 2017. And besides, he led Juventus to two Champions League finals. In 2015 they lost to mighty Barcelona, but destroyed them in the quarterfinals of 2017, only to go on to lose the final against Real Madrid. That said, Juventus remains strong in the sure hands of Allegri.
• 3. Antonio Conte: After managing Juventus and Italy Antonio Conte took over at Chelsea when the club was in disarray. Jose Mourinho had led the club in chaos, and Guus Hiddink was managing a team that did not even qualify for the Champions League, and the players seemed disillusioned and tired. The following season 2016-17, Antonio Conte had led the transformation of a team that ended up winning the Premier League with the most wins ever, and nearly took the Double, when they made it to the FA Cup final (losing to Arsenal). The team has struggled more in defending their title, notably against Manchester City, but are still in the CL, and expect them to be a team that could defeat anyone! 
• 2. Jurgen Klopp: If I had a football team I would want it to be managed by Jurgen Klopp. The German is charming, funny, and is obviously a passionate fan of the game, but more importantly, he is a highly competent manager, who also excels at managing players and giving youngsters a chance. And his approach to the game is very positive: modern German football (from the Mainz school), technical and high pressure. For Liverpool it is refreshing that he has a long term plan (contrary to many of their former managers), although I do not think that they are ready to take titles yet. But if they reinforce their defense and have patience, every neutral fan should hope for a manager like Klopp to have success!
• 1. Zinedine Zidane: The hardest unimportant job in the world is not that of president (you kidding!? it barely makes the top 10!). It is that of manager of Real Madrid. In early 2016 Zinedine Zidane initially came in as a temporary replacement after Rafa Benitez left the Spanish giants. He is certainly no longer temporary as he gave stability to a club that needed it, a clear direction in its play, and opportunities to young players. In almost two years he has won almost everything there is to win, and while attention has gone to a lot of other managers, very little has gone to the great Frenchman. With some difficulties the last months, he may be ousted by a Real Madrid club that is traditionally intolerant and ungrateful towards its greatest, but be sure that Zinedine Zidane is much greater than Real Madrid!

Others who did not make the list but surely deserve a mention: Leonardo Jardim, Diego Simeone, Marcelo Gallardo, Ricardo Gareca, etc...

Ancelotti fired

Bayern Munich is one of those clubs where only victories count. Carlo Ancelotti, one of the world's greatest managers (three Champions League titles) knew this, having managed other big clubs such as AC Milan, Paris St. Germain and Real Madrid. So it cannot have been a surprise for him when he was fired, following the Bavarian 0-3 defeat against Paris St. Germain.
Don't mind that Paris St. Germain, with Neymar, probably is the hottest club in the world at the moment. Such a defeat is unacceptable, but it also comes after a poor start in the Bundesliga, which Bayern Munich has won for the last five seasons: only third place after six matches...
It is harsh indeed, but Bayern Munich have ambitions to win every year.
Bayern Munich is to be temporarily managed by Willy Sagnol. The question is who, after Jupp Heynckes, Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti (seven Champions League titles between the three), is experienced enough to take on one of the most difficult manager jobs in the world.

Champion Wenger

Lately Arsenal fans have been trashing their manager over 20 years, Arsene Wenger. For yet another year Arsenal did not win the Premier League title, and for the first time in 19 years they did not qualify for the Champions League.
No matter what, today Arsenal won the FA Cup, 2-1 in the final against the PL champions from Chelsea. This is the 7th FA Cup title under Arsene Wenger, now the most-winning FA Cup manager ever.
So is this a team with no titles???
I really do not understand Arsenal fans' criticism of Wenger, as their mediocre club could never have done better. Has Manchester City done better with all their money and fancy managers????
Arsene Wenger is the best manager that Arsenal will ever have, and they should be thankful about this latest title. Because if Wenger leaves, Arsenal will be waiting many many years before they win any other title.

The continuing Valencia crisis

I had really hoped that the arrival of Cesare Prandelli as Valencia manager would change things for the (now tiny) Spanish giants. But I was wrong, after only three months in charge, and only one league victory, Cesare Prandelli has resigned in a way that has to make Valencia fans wonder if the problem with the club is the managers (there have been nine managers since 2012) or something more systemic.
Mr. Prandelli's qualities as a manager cannot be doubted, and he is just one among many successful managers who have left Valencia without success. So what is wrong with Valencia? Is it a management who thinks more of numbers than about football? Is it players who have no commitment for the club? Is it fans who are not supportive enough of young talented players?
Or is it rather a combination?
Truth is that Valencia, who ten years ago was among the great clubs in Europe, is now nothing more than a mediocre club that fights to avoid relegation. And as a fan of Valencia, it hurts to realize this.

Klinsmann out

Five years with Jurgen Klinsmann of the US National Team ended with Klinsmann being fired. In World Cup qualification USA is last after defeats to Mexico 1-2 at home, and a 4-0 trashing by Costa Rica.
Klinsmann was hired amid great expectations, and despite some improvements, I think it has been disappointing, given the potential of the US. It all seemed to start well with a victory in the 2013 Gold Cup and World Cup qualification. In the World Cup they made it to the last 16, but it was not impressive at all, and having watched US in other tournaments, this team was not impressive: they rode on a defensive wave, that was only strengthened by a great goalkeeper. But when it counted, against Belgium in particular, US looked without ideas.
In 2015 USA only made it to fourth of the Gold Cup, losing to Jamaica and Panama. At this point USA seemed like a side that arrogantly thought they were too good for CONCACAF, but obviously were far below the big boys. A semifinal spot at the 2015 Copa America Centenario did nothing to take away this impression when USA lost 4-0 to Argentina.
The last defeats are just a confirmation of how far USA is from its potential. Klinsmann's replacement is Bruce Arena, who also coached USA from 1998 to 2006, which was plausibly the period of most advances for US football, most memorably illustrated by their 2002 World Cup quarterfinal, where they fully had the quality to be among the 8 best in the world.
Bruce Arena has been away for a while, but he has the quality to take US back up from the last spot in World Cup qualifiers.

The first three points

Finally Valencia harvested their first three points in the Spanish league! After the first four matches, Valencia was the only team with no points, and the pressure tonight against Alaves was clear: following the firing of Pako Ayesteran this week, Valencia needed a victory, and they managed a hard-fought 2-1 victory on a late penalty goal by Dani Parejo. The way the fans celebrated, it was clear how needed this was...
All that said, Valencia remains a strange club: this year started with the hapless Gary Neville as manager, for him only to be replaced by his assistant, Ayesteran. For the time being Salvador Voro will be caretaker manager, but truth is that the top management of Valencia seem utterly inept in appointing a solid and experienced manager that can live up to Valencia's always-unfulfilled potential.
I certainly hope they find an excellent replacement, and that this will prove to be the first of many many victories this season!
Amunt Valencia!

He can only surprise positively

Sam Allardyce as new England national team manager is one of the most obscure appointments in modern time. Just like Brazil, England's FA is one that does not want to think in new ways.
"Hey, we are the best in the world anyways..."
In any case, Sam Allardyce can only surprise positively, as expectations to a new manager can never have been lower in football history!

Neville's first victory

I have never been really fond of Valencia's eagerness to fire managers and hire new ones as a way to success. Since Rafa Benitez in the 2003-2004 season Valencia has done little under a wide array of managers that have included Claudio Ranieri, Ronald Koeman and Unay Emery.
It was a surprise when the ex-Manchester United player Gary Neville was made new manager in December. With Neville never having coached a top team before, it certainly seemed a gamble, and personally I continue to be skeptical. There have been some awful results, from the elimination in the Champions League to the 0-7 humiliation by FC Barcelona in the Copa del Rey. And only now, more than two months since he took over, Gary Neville got his first victory when they defeated Espanyol 2-1 in la Liga.
Maybe this first victory, coming so late, will be the start of something good. I doubt it though. I fear that this first victory is just an exception under what I don't believe will be a good period for Valencia under Gary Neville.
I hope I am wrong.

Mourinho out

It was bound to happen. Jose Mourinho may be one of the most winning coaches in the world, but without results in an ambitious club, he cannot stay on. In fact, the surprise is perhaps how long he managed to stay on with poor results pouring in since the start of the season. But of course, he did give Chelsea the title, so the surprise is not so much that Mourinho is fired, but WHY everything seems to have gone so wrong for Chelsea this season!
Notwithstanding that the manager is ultimately responsible, it has been surprising to see a team that won the championship with a strong defense and committed and talented players, play entirely different: players that were incredible last season seem rather tired and weak, while the defense is sailing around against teams that barely got a chance last season.
This seems to go beyond Jose Mourinho's talents (and despite anyone saying differently, his CV speaks for itself), and may be a much deeper symptom of something at Chelsea. Mr. Mourinho, with his close history with the club, seemed to be the man to solve it, but it now seems difficult to see who.
Guus Hiddink...? I would want to see it before I believe it. And even more interesting will be to see where Mr. Mourinho himself will end up now!

Jurgen Klopp to Liverpool

After the correct firing of Brendan Rogers it has now been confirmed that the ex-Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp will be going to Liverpool. Mr. Klopp surely has all the experiences to coach Liverpool: strong personality and charisma, a good approach to football, good selection of young players, as well as experience with a club that fought well to remain among the best. And most of all, and very differently from Mr. Rogers in my view, he normally has a plan! That is what most annoyed me with Mr. Rogers, that it was never clear where he wanted to go with his player selection and strategy.
That said, it will not be easy for Mr. Klopp: pressure will be higher to deliver at Liverpool (Dortmund is a big club, yes, but the expectations for titles are strangely lower), and he will no doubt be coaching in a much more competitive league in terms of fighting for the title (the German league is a competitive league in terms of fighting for Bayern Munich's scraps).
But no matter what it is bound to be a good renewal for Liverpool, which has been underperforming for years.

Benitez to Madrid

Rafa Benitez has been confirmed as the new coach of Real Madrid after the Spanish giants decided to get rid of Carlo Ancelotti, unsurprisingly after he had won nothing this season.
If anything is unsurprising about Benitez' appointment is that it had not happened before. Rafa Benitez seems to have been aiming at this job ever since he started as a youth coach in Real Madrid and Castilla (a satellite club for Real Madrid): to be Senior coach of Real Madrid seemed to be in the cards, but he first had to build up his career. After some initial tries in Valladolid and Tenerife, it was at Valencia where Benitez first found success; he joined the team in 2001 and until he left in 2004 he brought two Spanish championships and one Europa League title. It was surely the best years of Valencia, who let Benitez go for the hapless Claudio Ranieri....
But that is another story.
Benitez went on to Liverpool whom he took to one Champions League title, one final and one FA Cup, but despite this, never to the craved Premier League title, and he left in 2011.
After a short unsuccesful stint at Inter Milan, Benitez went on to become "interim" coach of Chelsea, whom he took to a Europa League title, but never fulfilled the high expectations of the moneymen in London, and in 2013 he went on a two-year stint to Napoli, whom he took to a Cup title and gave them a somewhat decent return to Europe.
And now he has resigned to take the post he probably has been longing for: Real Madrid coach. It will be interesting, because he knows Real Madrid and is a very demanding coach. But at the same time he will be under the same pressure as any other Real Madrid coaches: titles or leave.

Dortmund's fall

It has not been Borussia Dortmund's season. They have struggled in the German Bundesliga, where they are currently only in 10th place; they are unlikely to play Champions League next season, first time since 2011.
In the Champions league they have had some reason to forget their meager Bundesliga performance, as they won a group ahead of Arsenal, Anderlecht and Galatasaray. In the last-16 though, they have just been destroyed 0-3 at home by a Juventus side that has gotten a thorough revenge for their defeat against the Germans in the legendary 1997 Champions League final.
That said, such a thorough defeat at home can only mean that coach Jurgen Klopp, who has managed Borussia Dortmund since 2008 may be on his way out. It is a pity for a manager who has indeed given so much to Dortmund, but at the same time a club at this level cannot allow such results (considering that Schalke 04 and Bayer Leverkusen fell after fantastic matches, the Dortmund debacle seems so much worse!), and I am certain that Jurgen Klopp will have some excellent offers from other clubs.
It may be time for Mr. Klopp to leave.
In the meantime Juventus are the sole Italian representative in the quarterfinals, largely fruit of hard work, a deadly counter-attack and a splendid Carlos Tevez (who scored two and had one assist today). 

The Brazilian dinosaur

Brazilian football suffered a terrible humiliation in this World Cup, and with the exit of Scolari it was perhaps time to find some renewal in Brazilian football.
Not so. Brazil has not learned, and seems determined to continue its slide further down the modern and beautiful game, and losing more of its many admirers.
The new national team coach is Dunga, who as captain in 1994 symbolized the modern Brazilian player: hard working, physically strong and with a hard kick, but with little technique and flair. Dunga would have been a great Scottish player in the 1980s.
And Dunga has already coached Brazil: in 2007 he coached them when they won the Copa America, playing a style of football that Brazil is becoming infamous for: destroying the opposition's rhythm with a lot of small fouls and purely going after goals on set-pieces. The exact recipe that has stopped working because Brazil has stopped producing players that could play like Spain or Germany.
Be sure that under Dunga we will see more of the same negative football from Brazil, who may risk more humiliation in the coming 2015 Copa America, and perhaps even in the World Cup qualifiers.
Could it be a World Cup without Brazil??
Too early to tell...
Nevertheless, Brazil is like a dinosaur that refuses to change and learn from the outside. One would have thought that Germany had given the Brazilians a footballing lesson, but like a stubborn old man, Brazil refuses to learn.

The cold-hearted German

Jurgen Klinsmann has announced his final 23-man roster for USA's World Cup side, and the most surprising of this is that he has left the veteran Landon Donovan out of the roster. Landon Donovan, 32-years old, is surely the best player the USA has produced and played three World Cups.
To be fair to Mr. Klinsmann, this could be because he has something up his sleeve; because he has professional reasons to leave out a player who has not had a spectacular season with LA Galaxy, and who not long ago went on a sabbatical.
That said, when one looks at some of the choices in other positions, one has to wonder whether the choice was beyond professionalism. Chris Wondolowski is a striker around Donovan's age, but hardly his experience. Jozy Altidore has had an unimpressive season with Sunderland. Youngsters like DeAndre Yedin, John Brooks and Julian Green may all be something for the future, but without hardly any experience it seems incredible that all three are going instead of Donovan.
While Landon Donovan may not be at his former best, his experience and quality remains unquestionable. With Jurgen Klinsmann's son's tasteless message in Twitter, rejoicing at Donovan being out, one cannot but question whether Klinsmann's choice was more personal than professional; that he is not willing to give USA's best player his last moment of glory.
Mr. Klinsmann appears like a cold-hearted man leaving Landon Donovan out. Only success in a hugely difficult group will take this impression away.

The strong man who will lift Manchester United

It has been confirmed that Louis Van Gaal will be Manchester United manager next season, after he has taken the Netherlands to the World Cup. Mr. Van Gaal is a controversial but highly successful coach. With Ajax Amsterdam in the mid-1990s he won everything, including the Champions League. He was then in FC Barcelona where he won the league and the cup, but left amid controversy with players and in particular the media, who hated his strict personality. Mr. Van Gaal then went to the Dutch national team, and incredibly, returned to Barcelona for a short stint, but was quickly fired, and in 2004 returned to Ajax Amsterdam, only to resign.
In 2005 Mr. Van Gaal went to AZ Alkmaar, where he won a title, before going to Bayern Munich in 2009, winning everything and the title of best manager in 2010. It was never clear why he left, but in 2012 he returned as Netherlands manager.
Mr. Van Gaal is a strict coach, almost fearful. There is not much place for humour, but a no-nonsense approach, where the he prioritizes the offensive and technical qualities of the side. This will be good for Manchester United, who also in Alex Ferguson had a disciplinarian. On the other hand, Mr. Van Gaal has clashed with fans and management in other clubs when he is criticized. He may face criticism at some point in Manchester United, but will surely face it with a more stiff face than the soft David Moyes. In the end that is what Manchester United may need: a strong man.

Ungrateful Barcelona

Barcelona is a great team with lousy fans. After having given them so much, they were not big enough to support Lionel Messi when the young lad is obviously going through a different time. I doubt they would have done the same to Xavi, Puyol or Busquets, their Catalonian boys. Messi will be staying in Barcelona for at least two years more. But at one point they will discard him with no thanks. 
One who was discarded with no thanks was Tata Martino, who has been replaced by Luis Enrique, who played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid in the 1990s. He was coaching Celta Vigo until now. It will be interesting to see how he will do, as he seems relatively untested at that level, with a lousy period in Roma behind him as well. On the positive side he knows the club, and understands expectations from the ungrateful lot.
His first challenge will be to strengthen the team and first step was already taken by signing the young Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
The ungrateful doors of Barcelona are open.

"Football is emotion. No more than that"

I found it very interesting to read this interview with Jose Mourinho in the Esquire Magazine. Surely Mourinho is a controversial man, easy to dislike, but there is no doubt he is a genius as a football coach, most notably that so many players adore him. It is fascinating to read about that in the interview. But more than anything, I admire his reflections on the "relevant irrelevance" of football: "Football is emotion. No more than that."
Yesterday Mr. Mourinho displayed great emotion when he was expelled from the pitch when his team Chelsea lost to Aston Villa.
What ever one may think of the controversial Mr. Mourinho, he is a rare species in the world of football: an intelligent man.

Gerardo Martino in Barcelona

The only good thing about Paraguay's national team in the 2010 World Cup and 2011 Copa America was Larissa Riquelme. They were cynical, defensive, and in 2011 played some of the worst negative football I have ever seen. And the coach then was the Argentine Gerardo Martino, who has recently been appointed as coach for FC Barcelona.
Looking at Mr. Martino's CV there are some explanations to his appointment: he is a pupil of Marcelo Bielsa, who also inspired Pep Guardiola to the pressuring and offensive football that he refined in FC Barcelona. In fact, upon his return to Argentina's Newell's Old Boys after his stint in Paraguay, he was highly critical of what he called Argentine's football modern tendency to want to win rather than entertain.
At the same time he has shown, particularly in Paraguay, that he is able to be more cynical given the situation where he did not have the players to play like he liked. In Barcelona he will be able to, but there can be little doubt that he will also give Barcelona more cynicism, maybe like they needed against Bayern Munich in this year's Champions League.
No matter what, it will be very interesting to see how he does.