Beast
The Observer
well
someone trying to answer the 6 million dollar question
So who will be manager of Real Madrid?
Balague
The following question is typical of the hundreds coming in to the site:- “Its so interesting listening to what the world has to say about the current Real Madrid saga...Guillem I want to know from you who do you think will coach RM next season and a possible starting line-up he will have for the season opener?”
These are the six million dollar questions aren`t they?: the ones that everyone wants the answer to.
However, I think it`s important to stress something that we`ve been trying to do for the last couple of days on the site. The situation involving Florentino Perez` search for a manager is fluid and moving very quickly, which means that as we report on one set of circumstances, those circumstances have changed within 24 hours: it doesn`t make the first lot of information incorrect, it just means the situation is moving on.
48 hours ago I wrote that Florentino Perez is pulling out all the stops to try and persuade Arsene Wenger, his number one target for the managerial role at the Bernabeu, to quit Arsenal. I also wrote that Wenger was at least prepared to hear what he had to say, that he had for the first time ever had serious doubts about the progression of Arsenal (how can you progress or challenge Manchester United`s dominance with £10m net spent last year and £13m this year), that he openly flirted with the idea and that according to sources – was seriously considering the move. Some people interpreted that as an article claiming Arsene Wenger s 100% joining Real Madrid. I have never said that.
The problem is, Florentino Perez must have a manager `in the bag` when he formally announces his election manifesto and package next week – so he cannot afford a delay in waiting for a response and applied pressure on Wenger to commit one way or the other within 48 hours. Yesterday I wrote that Arsene Wenger was, so far unconvinced by the sporting structure presented to him by Perez, and that, coupled with a dramatic show of support from his current employers – Arsenal are pretty confident he will remain with them. Some people took that as a turnaround on the previous day`s story and interpreted it that Arsene Wenger is now 100% staying at Arsenal. I have never said that either.
So now, comments are being left asking `who will be the next manager of Real Madrid?`
And here`s the problem: the situation is moving very quickly and unfortunately, no-body can answer that – not even Florentino Perez. All I can do is tell you who, at this moment in time, is being considered, approached and ruled out. Nobody can ever say what will happen 100%; I would never say it; but it makes life very difficult when people constantly interpret stories as being either black or white. The situation is complex, there are no absolutes and the situation will always change.
So, what do we know at the moment?
Florentino Perez would still like to try and convince Arsene Wenger to join him. He believes, rightly or wrongly, that the only thing stopping Wenger are the Frenchman`s doubts as to how the managerial structure will work at Real Madrid. Perez believes that it is obviously not a question of money or transfer budget at Real Madrid, but rather a matter of the level of control that Wenger would have. Perez is still clinging on to the hope that he can convince Wenger that if he were to join Real Madrid – he would be able to work without interference from Valdano and Zidane. Wenger, understandably is not sure...but even now, he is still prepared to listen to what Perez has to say, despite his public assurances that he will stay at Arsenal.
Wenger has been very explicit in outlining to Perez what he would require to be convinced (promises of control beyond the first team, over youth etc, guarantees of non interference etc) and it will be interesting to see what happens if Perez guarantees exactly what he has asked for. I personally doubt that those guarantees can be offered. As far as Arsenal are concerned, they are still confident Wenger will stay and there are plans over the next 24 hours for Arsenal to continue talking with their coach to discuss his transfer budget (there is no more money) and guarantees of support for his project.
Of course, Perez needs to find a manager – and fast. At present, this is the situation regarding the other names on his list, and the names that our readers have been suggesting: names they have either heard mentioned in the press etc.
Jose Mourinho is one such name, but there are people within Florentino Perez` team who are strongly against the former Chelsea coach for a number of reasons. There are also conflicting stories coming out of Italy – including many of their major papers – insisting that Mourinho has just received a good offer from Florentino Perez and that the Portuguese has told Inter that he wants to go. Just to confuse matters further, I know for a fact that Mourinho`s agent, Jorge Mendes has been jetting around between Madrid, Milan, London and Manchester in the last few days. I believe the offer is true, and that Mourinho is considering it. In fact, he would love to join real Madrid. But he is not the only manager Florentino is talking to. (My colleague on Revista, Graham Hunter`s analogy about spinning plates and waiting for one to fall is useful here.)
Carlo Ancelotti has always been on Florentino Perez` list, and there was a time that he was the number one priority, as it was believed that as coach of AC Milan, he had the ideal CV for managing a team of Galacticos. Unfortunately, Perez has moved away from that idea since he discovered that Ancelotti has a verbal agreement with Chelsea and has already begun drawing up plans for his technical staff at Stamford Bridge. However, the agreement with Chelsea is verbal, and if Perez so decides in the next few days – a major offensive for Ancelotti could have consequences.
Of all the other names mentioned – and with the clock ticking, these names may have moved higher up the list – we have Manuel Pellegrini, the coach of Villarreal. However, persuading Fernando Roig to let his coach go will not be easy - and some people advising Perez doubt Pellergini`s ability.
Michael Laudrup has also been mentioned: a former Madrid player who impressed in his short time at neighbouring Getafe.
And finally, there is always the continuity option – possibly the easiest – and one that may become increasingly appealing as next week`s deadline approaches: Juande Ramos.
Florentino Perez cannot afford to stand on the podium outlining his project next week without a coach stood next to him (although delays in confirming a coach might even force him to postpone the announcement) - and I know he is starting to think that, despite a few embarrassing results in recent weeks, Real Madrid already has a perfectly capable manager at the helm: one who took over a broken team midway through the season and turned them around to push the best Barcelona side in history right down to the wire. I do know that Perez has certainly asked himself: what has Pellegrini achieved that Juande hasn`t?
So, neither black nor white, just shades of grey here: but that`s the reality of the situation. Nobody knows how it`s going to pan out over the next week, but then despite what some people think, nobody ever said that they did....
someone trying to answer the 6 million dollar question
So who will be manager of Real Madrid?
Balague
The following question is typical of the hundreds coming in to the site:- “Its so interesting listening to what the world has to say about the current Real Madrid saga...Guillem I want to know from you who do you think will coach RM next season and a possible starting line-up he will have for the season opener?”
These are the six million dollar questions aren`t they?: the ones that everyone wants the answer to.
However, I think it`s important to stress something that we`ve been trying to do for the last couple of days on the site. The situation involving Florentino Perez` search for a manager is fluid and moving very quickly, which means that as we report on one set of circumstances, those circumstances have changed within 24 hours: it doesn`t make the first lot of information incorrect, it just means the situation is moving on.
48 hours ago I wrote that Florentino Perez is pulling out all the stops to try and persuade Arsene Wenger, his number one target for the managerial role at the Bernabeu, to quit Arsenal. I also wrote that Wenger was at least prepared to hear what he had to say, that he had for the first time ever had serious doubts about the progression of Arsenal (how can you progress or challenge Manchester United`s dominance with £10m net spent last year and £13m this year), that he openly flirted with the idea and that according to sources – was seriously considering the move. Some people interpreted that as an article claiming Arsene Wenger s 100% joining Real Madrid. I have never said that.
The problem is, Florentino Perez must have a manager `in the bag` when he formally announces his election manifesto and package next week – so he cannot afford a delay in waiting for a response and applied pressure on Wenger to commit one way or the other within 48 hours. Yesterday I wrote that Arsene Wenger was, so far unconvinced by the sporting structure presented to him by Perez, and that, coupled with a dramatic show of support from his current employers – Arsenal are pretty confident he will remain with them. Some people took that as a turnaround on the previous day`s story and interpreted it that Arsene Wenger is now 100% staying at Arsenal. I have never said that either.
So now, comments are being left asking `who will be the next manager of Real Madrid?`
And here`s the problem: the situation is moving very quickly and unfortunately, no-body can answer that – not even Florentino Perez. All I can do is tell you who, at this moment in time, is being considered, approached and ruled out. Nobody can ever say what will happen 100%; I would never say it; but it makes life very difficult when people constantly interpret stories as being either black or white. The situation is complex, there are no absolutes and the situation will always change.
So, what do we know at the moment?
Florentino Perez would still like to try and convince Arsene Wenger to join him. He believes, rightly or wrongly, that the only thing stopping Wenger are the Frenchman`s doubts as to how the managerial structure will work at Real Madrid. Perez believes that it is obviously not a question of money or transfer budget at Real Madrid, but rather a matter of the level of control that Wenger would have. Perez is still clinging on to the hope that he can convince Wenger that if he were to join Real Madrid – he would be able to work without interference from Valdano and Zidane. Wenger, understandably is not sure...but even now, he is still prepared to listen to what Perez has to say, despite his public assurances that he will stay at Arsenal.
Wenger has been very explicit in outlining to Perez what he would require to be convinced (promises of control beyond the first team, over youth etc, guarantees of non interference etc) and it will be interesting to see what happens if Perez guarantees exactly what he has asked for. I personally doubt that those guarantees can be offered. As far as Arsenal are concerned, they are still confident Wenger will stay and there are plans over the next 24 hours for Arsenal to continue talking with their coach to discuss his transfer budget (there is no more money) and guarantees of support for his project.
Of course, Perez needs to find a manager – and fast. At present, this is the situation regarding the other names on his list, and the names that our readers have been suggesting: names they have either heard mentioned in the press etc.
Jose Mourinho is one such name, but there are people within Florentino Perez` team who are strongly against the former Chelsea coach for a number of reasons. There are also conflicting stories coming out of Italy – including many of their major papers – insisting that Mourinho has just received a good offer from Florentino Perez and that the Portuguese has told Inter that he wants to go. Just to confuse matters further, I know for a fact that Mourinho`s agent, Jorge Mendes has been jetting around between Madrid, Milan, London and Manchester in the last few days. I believe the offer is true, and that Mourinho is considering it. In fact, he would love to join real Madrid. But he is not the only manager Florentino is talking to. (My colleague on Revista, Graham Hunter`s analogy about spinning plates and waiting for one to fall is useful here.)
Carlo Ancelotti has always been on Florentino Perez` list, and there was a time that he was the number one priority, as it was believed that as coach of AC Milan, he had the ideal CV for managing a team of Galacticos. Unfortunately, Perez has moved away from that idea since he discovered that Ancelotti has a verbal agreement with Chelsea and has already begun drawing up plans for his technical staff at Stamford Bridge. However, the agreement with Chelsea is verbal, and if Perez so decides in the next few days – a major offensive for Ancelotti could have consequences.
Of all the other names mentioned – and with the clock ticking, these names may have moved higher up the list – we have Manuel Pellegrini, the coach of Villarreal. However, persuading Fernando Roig to let his coach go will not be easy - and some people advising Perez doubt Pellergini`s ability.
Michael Laudrup has also been mentioned: a former Madrid player who impressed in his short time at neighbouring Getafe.
And finally, there is always the continuity option – possibly the easiest – and one that may become increasingly appealing as next week`s deadline approaches: Juande Ramos.
Florentino Perez cannot afford to stand on the podium outlining his project next week without a coach stood next to him (although delays in confirming a coach might even force him to postpone the announcement) - and I know he is starting to think that, despite a few embarrassing results in recent weeks, Real Madrid already has a perfectly capable manager at the helm: one who took over a broken team midway through the season and turned them around to push the best Barcelona side in history right down to the wire. I do know that Perez has certainly asked himself: what has Pellegrini achieved that Juande hasn`t?
So, neither black nor white, just shades of grey here: but that`s the reality of the situation. Nobody knows how it`s going to pan out over the next week, but then despite what some people think, nobody ever said that they did....
