Chelsea and Manchester United have both had their marquee failures when it comes to results during the course of this running campaign, and they are both, undoubtedly, looking for managers to lead their respective clubs from next season onwards. But, factually speaking, there aren’t a lot of choices out there to choose from. This is the result of another dilemma; that of smaller clubs from the past (like Tottenham or Atletico) that have been getting bigger and bigger, while the number of astounding managers over the years have been following more at a stable rate.
As the real thing that really sparks a managerial switch is motivation and ambition, it is really becoming a difficult choice to make for managers of such pedigree who are already at a ginormous club, e.g. Massimiliano Allegri of Juve. Any manager would love to be at a club like Chelsea, regardless of their downfall this campaign, except there is no real reason to leave the Italian Champions and the runners-up of the Champions League. Unless, of course, it’s the competitiveness of the job itself. Who knows, maybe Allegri is getting tired of winning the Serie A too easily and wants to test himself alongside teams of similar calibre.
However, though Chelsea fans would probably love to see this move happen, Allegri has constantly denied reports of such sorts. But, there is a certain gut feeling that I, from a neutral perspective, get when I read these reports. It feels as if Allegri is negating a bit too cautiously as if he isn’t comfortable speaking about these rumours. There is a certain area of doubt in his mind that might just be the deciding factor that sees him take charge at the Stamford Bridge club next season. Anyhow, it will certainly be interesting to see what happens during the rest of the season when he will, undoubtedly, be flooded with these questions.
Jorge Sampaoli is somebody that is really not being paid seriously close attention to by the scouts of the Red Devils and the Blues, obvious by the mere amount of times you’ve probably seen reports linking him to either of the aforementioned clubs. His success with the Chilean National Team was brought to an abrupt end by disputes with the Chilean footballing authority in terms of a new contract agreement between the two parties. This should not, however, overshadow the clear managerial gift that this man seems to have in terms of getting his teams to play possession football in a concise and creative manner simultaneously. If this idea seems a bit hazy at first, you seriously need to consider watching some of the footage from Chile’s games in the Copa America. The way they play is indescribable with my standardized limitations to word knowledge, and the one and only Ray Hudson comes even close to reminiscing the movement and passes that those players make.
And when you consider that this team, aside from Alexis Sanchez, didn’t even possess any world renowned you-own-a-poster-of-him kind of player, it just amplifies and embroiders the work that Sampaoli did with even more glory than otherwise perceived. Hopefully, either Chelsea or Man United take this man a little bit more seriously than they have been, for I, personally, would love to see him be given a chance at a top European club.
Diego Simeone has embodied himself as the face of Atletico Madrid, with the fighting attitude and physicality of the players showing the telepathic understanding and clear cohesiveness that exists between the staff and themselves. However, the Atletico manager, though can keep a winning run going, doesn’t necessarily always do it with the valor and zeal of domination football. In more simple terms, if Godín and Giménez weren’t the players that they are, Atletico might not be in the same position in the La Liga table. Simeone is a bit Mourinho-esque in terms of the brand of football that his teams play, though the Argentinian focuses more on the physical aspect than his Portuguese counterpart. Regardless, he may not be the top target for Abramovich as the Russian really desires a manager who can provide sights of beauty rather than clashes of bodies.
Since we’re already talking about Mourinho, the thought of him taking over at Manchester United from next summer is rapidly gathering momentum as Van Gaal keeps on achieving lows previously considered unachievable. As the Portuguese is still endeavored like a god around the Stamford Bridge area, it will be interesting to see what kind of reception he gets when he first visits the ground as the manager of Manchester United. And just the thought of him going up against Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola again is just…well, too much exhilaration for my body to take in.
Chelsea have been linked with Antonio Conte the most in their pursuit of a quality manager. (Photo via Getty Images)
Finally, the man linked with Chelsea the most, current Italy National Team manager Antonio Conte, does not make any sense whatsoever from a fan’s perspective. The man is fairly unknown in the managerial world, and his most esteemed success came as the manager of Juventus, the only notoriously big club that he’s managed during his managerial career. So, due to his lack of experience and really, managerial achievements, he might not be the manager that Chelsea fans want in charge of their club from next season.
