Penal Madrid

[Vilarrubi]

I hate the traditionalist approach by now and since ZZ was in the club I was hoping for a more meaningful change to club policy. He gained stature by bringing trophies immediately and I wish that gave him carte blanche for development for years to come. Problem is I don't think Flo changed that much despite ZZ being his pet project. He is still governed by the board decisions who see the waning popularity.

I personally would keep Zidane and replace 3/4 of the team, hope Zidane doesn't mind it and treats it as a new challenge. At least it provides philosophical continuity for the club and stops the tradition of 2-3 year managerial periods. Ferguson was there for so long because he recognised the flaws of becoming too close with the players. He recognised he is a manager, but not a friend. Zidane hasn't yet learned this and he still sort of thinks like a footballer. Sacking will give him the impulse to recognise it. That or a complete board-enforced overhaul, but this would degrade the trust between him & Perez.

So basically it's always been down to ZZ's ego - earlier he recognised the value of Casemiro and Isco. He needs to do the same here and take out the flops who are underperforming, and stop saying everything is fine when clearly it gets no reaction from the team, and there is nobody to provide the spark of difference.

If I was Flo I'd do the following:
Let Zidane crash and burn through the season, even if it means not being in the CL next year. It would gain huge heat from the board and would be downright unacceptable, but it's a necessary lesson if both Flo and ZZ want the project to go on. Then sit down with ZZ at the end of season and say "we're selling so and so, we're buying so and so - do you agree we need to do this?". If ZZ OK's it, he carries on. If not, he walks. Heads will roll no matter what. I just kind of hope ZZ redeems himself, because he's the closest we had to a club dynasty kickstarter. Not being in the CL is the dealbreaker here and ZZ should recognise that it's far more important than loyalty to the group.

No chance RM will sell 3/4 of the team. That’s just some football manager/FIFA dream.. no point even thinking about it.

If I was Perez I’d sell Ronaldo and Benz, replace them.. and probably keep Zidane.

 

[Aryagorn]

Sacking ZZ is probably not an option. It would throw the achievement of double CL into jeopardy. I mean they were compared to Pep's golden Barca when they retained the CL!

 

[Horatio]

Zidane won't get sacked, unless players have started opposing him. If it comes down to just Perez Zidane will be given at least a chance to prove himself with the new additions being brought in during the summer.
If Real still looks @*#& mid-season sack.

 

[El Gato]

Do you think that's the general consensus amongst madridistas? I honestly thought you'd have given up on ZZ by now due to his inability to change his tactical setup and the fact that it very much looks like he's lost the dressing room.

Could you specify which players from the starting XI you'd let go and who you would replace them with? Considering how fairly few euros you've spent the last couple of seasons, you should have a fat ol' transfer kitty this summer.

Nah, defo not the consensus, most are pissed and want results immediately. But then again most of the fanbase that puts money in the club is overseas and don't think much into it. People are used to Madrid cycles of 2-3 years. I just hope it could change given we have never "produced" a first team manager as successful as Zidane was and it changes the attitude of the board a lot. Schuster calibre dude would be sacked by December with 8 point loss in the league, poor form and losing to Spurs in the CL. But not a guy who is a club icon, won the CL in his first 6 months and won 5 trophies in the subsequent year.

My vision going forward from summer 2018 could be something like:

--------------------------------------De Gea/Kepa----------------------------------
Carvajal/Azpilicueta-------Varane/Nacho-----Ramos/Vallejo------Lemar/Marcelo
-------------------------------------Casemiro/Kondogbia---------------------------
----------------------Kovacić/Ceballos--------------Herrera/Kroos-----------------
-------------------------------------Isco/Asensio------------------------------------
-----------------------Neymar/Bale(?)------------Icardi----------------------------

Difficult to make all that happen and keep Zidane. He'd still have his captains which would be problematic, but transition needs to take place. My thinking it's him or the core. Naturally problematic to make the former happen.

 

[JamDav1982]

Haha fair wish list.

Is that Lemar from Monaco at left back?

 

[El Gato]

Haha fair wish list.

Is that Lemar from Monaco at left back?

Nah. Not left back. RM don't have a left back.

 

[JamDav1982]

Nah. Not left back. RM don't have a left back.

They do just a very attacking one and cant just swap him for a winger.

That list of players is impossible for 2018 anyway.

 

[Centauri B]

It seems that Real Madrid have run out of luck this season. No dramatic last-minute Ramos winners, no easy draws in the CL, much fewer penaldos and much fewer tap-ins for Cris.

It's beautiful.

 

[Hamzah]

Would that snake Neymar join this team still?

 

[DonAK]

Would that snake Neymar join this team still?

Depends on how PSG do. He might want to, but I don't think PSG will let him leave.

PSG fans have talked a lot of trash about other teams and about their grand project, would be humiliating for them to bend over to Real Madrid and Neymar by letting him leave before his contract runs out in 5 years.

What do you guys think [MENTION=20519]Lutece FC[/MENTION] @Jair Ventura

 

[Luftstalag14]

Would that snake Neymar join this team still?

Only if they make him the indisputable numero uno. That means they have to ship Ronaldo out first.

 

[Hamzah]

PSG have strong dislike for barca and a good relationship with Madrid (I'm talking about al khalaifi specifically). Their fans would also get a weird kick out of it as it's still sticking it to barca somehow

 

[Hamzah]

Only if they make him the indisputable numero uno. That means they have to ship Ronaldo out first.

I think this is his last year in Madrid

 

[Centauri B]

Neymar would be very difficult to get for Real Madrid, unless part of his contract is run down.

But they can easily go for just about anyone else (Kane, Hazard, Salah, Icardi, Dymbala etc...)

 

[El Gato]

They do just a very attacking one and cant just swap him for a winger.

That list of players is impossible for 2018 anyway.

Not a problem to teach him to track back. Marcelo was almost an LM at the time of his arrival. And the deepest he played was under Jose.

Not really impossible TBH

Ronaldo, Benzema sale value is ~100-200M, which doesn't include Modrić or Bale, or any others who may get sold like Mayoral, Navas, Casilla.

If the Ronaldo-Neymar exchange deal stuff is anywhere close to true then that can be assumed to be in a region of 100-200M loss for Real. Benzema can bugger off for any price tag as far as anyone is concerned, but you'd find someone who would pay 20-30M for him.

Icardi's release clause is 120M? Herrera would probably cost ~30-40M. Lemar? Don't really know. Up to a 100 I assume? De Gea ~120. Kondogbia, 30-50, form dependent and the price could be knocked down in negotiation if he's in combination with Icardi? Azpi would be the hardest to buy and the least likely because Madrid themselves barely invest in players over 25, but there are very few capable RBs to give Carvajal the competition. Abramovich would take probably ~60-70M.

So in summary it's 55M revenue on top of last year's 90 for Morata and 30 for Danilo. Perez has no problem to spend up to 500-600 with these kinds of numbers.

Heads will roll regardless. Just depends how many.