Is the Premier League too tribal?

[BuzzKillington]

Was thinking about who our next manager could/should be and got thinking why do we automatically rule out the two most obvious candidates, Pep & Klopp. One manages a joke club with 40k fans who are about to be relegated to League 1 for cheating, the other is technically available at the end of the season.

It seems like something we’ve all just accepted, that players/managers don’t move between the storied clubs (and city). But this doesn’t seem to be as much of an issue on the continent, where I’d say some of the rivalries are often more fierce.

I don’t really care all that much about City for instance, neither do most on here judging by how many seem to want them to win the league. But managers and players will often move between the Milan clubs for instance, or Dortmund and Bayern. But the thought of trying to poach City’s manager, or Liverpool's manager who’s actually unemployed at the end of the season, seems unconscionable. (I’ll be honest I was just sick in my mouth a little bit thinking of Klopp as United manager)

But as a thought exercise, why not? Will this ever change? (It’s not always been like this) And should it change?
(FYI, like luckyscout, I'm probably not going to reply to any reasonable responses to this half baked idea)

 

[SouthMancRed]

Both turned down the chance to manage United in the past. Neither would come near us now because of their current clubs. Maybe managers are too tribal.

 

[Sandikan]

As Klopp is quitting because he's tired, he wouldn't be an option anyway.

 

[redshaw]

Both Klopp and Pep have said they wouldn't come to United now they've managed Pool and City.

 

[Bubz27]

I don't know about too tribal but it definitely feels more tribal than Italy, for example. I always found it strange how so many players have played for so many/of the big rivals. Pirlo and Zlatan for example. Ronaldo also seemed to play for every rival of every team he played.

In the last 20 years id say there's more players who've played for and moved between rivals here. Since Jose first came to Chelsea. Gallas, Adebayor, Nasri to name a few. But not many of the historical teams like United and Liverpool.

 

[Todd]

We are so far below Pep's and Klopp's level it'd be beneath either of them to even consider coming to manage our Championship-quality club.

We've probably got a solid 5 seasons worth of work to do before we're worthy of wooing a world class manager.

 

[yeaherino]

United are not an attractive option for players and coaches unless you are going for the bag and Klopp/Pep would get that anywhere.

 

[Superunknown]

I personally haven't got a problem with that. If anything, I like it that way. I'd have been heartbroken if Sir Alex left us for Liverpool, for example. I would have felt the same had Keane or Scholes joined City or Liverpool, too. It's not just a case of moving from club A to club B, in my eyes. There's so much more to it than that. It's the history of the clubs, the history of the rivalries, the legacy that you leave behind when you hang up your boots.

 

[wr8_utd]

I think Arsenal, City, and Chelsea have maybe started to normalize the movement of players/staff between clubs but yes, otherwise it has been "tribal" as compared to Italy. I do find Italy a lot weirder tbh given there seems to be absolutely no loyalty and no one is afraid of playing for a rival. I hope the rivalry and tribalism which stops managers and even players from playing for rivals continues in England.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

We are so far below Pep's and Klopp's level it'd be beneath either of them to even consider coming to manage our Championship-quality club.

We've probably got a solid 5 seasons worth of work to do before we're worthy of wooing a world class manager.

The self loathing is strong with this one….

Cast your mind back to Liverpool’s status, before Klopp took over. What had they achieved in their solid 5 seasons worth of work to put them in a position to woo Klopp?

 

[didz]

I think Arsenal, City, and Chelsea have maybe started to normalize the movement of players/staff between clubs but yes, otherwise it has been "tribal" as compared to Italy. I do find Italy a lot weirder tbh given there seems to be absolutely no loyalty and no one is afraid of playing for a rival. I hope the rivalry and tribalism which stops managers and even players from playing for rivals continues in England.

Aren't we also developing something of a tradition for giving Chelsea lots of money for players we end up not liking?

I have a loose theory that in Italy the difference is down to the co-ownership transfers they used to do all the time.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Both Pep and Klopp are terrible examples.

 

[Stig]

Both Pep and Klopp are terrible examples.

Terrible examples of what?

 

[Pexbo]

Terrible examples of what?

Grace and decorum

 

[tomaldinho1]

I think fans still live in the past with the idea of managers being so incredible that they make or break a club. We had a manager who literally did everything but that doesn’t exist anymore, the managers you mention are head coaches and the clubs they are at, particularly City, aren’t going to suddenly not be good when they leave.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Terrible examples of what?

Terrible examples in terms of football being too tribal. Klopp wants to retire and even if he changed his mind, he would have his pick of jobs. Bayern Munich and Germany for example, maybe Real Madrid or Barcelona. Putting biases aside, United would be way down the list. Same with Pep. United job would be a very tough one, that could ruin a manager's reputation. I couldn't see either of them remotely interested, club rivalries aside.