Zinedine Zidane - 3 time CL winning manager without a job

[OrcaFat]

Zidane looks like an intelligent chap, he won't be coming into this cesspool of mediocrity and risk dragging his perfect legacy in the mud.

Agreed.

 

[JPRouve]

Zidane looks like an intelligent chap, he won't be coming into this cesspool of mediocrity and risk dragging his perfect legacy in the mud.

If he was to decline I think that it would be more about not wanting to live in the UK than his perfect legacy.

 

[Mockney]

I’m not entirely sold on Zidane, but the position we’ve put ourselves in by sticking with Ole for slightly too long (which was always going to be the biggest side affect of hiring him in the first place) means that we can’t exactly hire the kind of tactically astute stylistic young manager we should’ve always been after, because that would likely mean ripping up the team again mid-season, rendering all of Ole’s feted “rebuilding” largely useless, and essentially accepting wasting the peak & twilight years of several of our biggest performers…

And so the only real option to make the last 3 years truly worth it - and fulfil the idea that Ole’s “left a better squad for the new guy to work with” - is to go for the best available “vibes” manager, who can plausibly make this exact group reach its fullest potential as soon as possible… which, I guess, is Zidane?….

Unless we can find someone whose able and willing to do basically that for only half a season, whilst we plan properly for the next guy… and then try not to actually hire them if they do okay this time.

I’m not actually that confident about any of the options… which flies somewhat in the face of the whole “we’re in such a better place” rhetoric tbph

 

[Devil_forever]

Zidane looks like an intelligent chap, he won't be coming into this cesspool of mediocrity and risk dragging his perfect legacy in the mud.

Yes he would. No other top club has gone near him. For good reason too. No style of play and constant reliance on top players, oh and a crap ton of luck in cup games.

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

If you want an idea of whether Zidane understands tactics or not, you can get a first-hand sense of it by watching the half-time talk he gave for the 2017 CL final.


There is some discussion of tactics there. He is identifying problems the team is having and giving the players instructions on how to correct it. It's not incredibly complicated or sophisticated but it's a lot more than "go out and do your best" or whatever.

I like how he said "do this and we will score " instead of "do this and we can score"

 

[BlahRules]

I think we need to get Eric Ten Haag, a manager that will coach the team to play attacking football regardless of the players he has at his disposal.

 

[Sviken]

I think we need to get Eric Ten Haag, a manager that will coach the team to play attacking football regardless of the players he has at his disposal.

Problem with Hag is that it's doubtful he'll leave mid-season. Woody tried that with Klopp, hardly ever works. Maybe in the summer, but we don't have that luxury to wait for him so long with Ole at the wheel.

 

[JPRouve]

Yes he would. No other top club has gone near him. For good reason too. No style of play and constant reliance on top players, oh and a crap ton of luck in cup games.

Reading this you would think that Zidane left Real Madrid 5 years ago instead of 5 months.

 

[Dansk]

I'd take Zidane in a heartbeat.

 

[2 man midfield]

We’re all clamouring for a style of play, but does Zidane have one? Isn’t he just the same as Ole? He’d manage the dressing room but who would actually do the coaching?

 

[JPRouve]

We’re all clamouring for a style of play, but does Zidane have one? Isn’t he just the same as Ole? He’d manage the dressing room but who would actually do the coaching?

Zidane does the coaching with his staff of nobodies Bettoni, Msaidie and maybe Dupont(Physio). He doesn't just manage the dressing room.

 

[mattsville]

Would not say no if in a jam, but ten hag all day long, interim job whoever that is then get ten hag, bear in mind we have newcastle now going to throw unlimited money at somebody so we need to act quick.

 

[BalanceUnAutreJoint]

Yes he would. No other top club has gone near him. For good reason too. No style of play and constant reliance on top players, oh and a crap ton of luck in cup games.

Which top club has sacked its manager since Zidane left his job?
Can you even name a single one?

 

[goptun]

I’m not entirely sold on Zidane, but the position we’ve put ourselves in by sticking with Ole for slightly too long (which was always going to be the biggest side affect of hiring him in the first place) means that we can’t exactly hire the kind of tactically astute stylistic young manager we should’ve always been after, because that would likely mean ripping up the team again mid-season, rendering all of Ole’s feted “rebuilding” largely useless, and essentially accepting wasting the peak & twilight years of several of our biggest performers…

And so the only real option to make the last 3 years truly worth it - and fulfil the idea that Ole’s “left a better squad for the new guy to work with” - is to go for the best available “vibes” manager, who can plausibly make this exact group reach its fullest potential as soon as possible… which, I guess, is Zidane?….

Unless we can find someone whose able and willing to do basically that for only half a season, whilst we plan properly for the next guy… and then try not to actually hire them if they do okay this time.

I’m not actually that confident about any of the options… which flies somewhat in the face of the whole “we’re in such a better place” rhetoric tbph

I'd happily get a caretaker in (Hiddink? Blanc? Bossman from the local offy?) if it meant we can get in a young, progressive manager in the summer (aka Ten Hag). There's no reason why he wouldn't be able to get this collection of players working together, and with these sorts of managers you pull the trigger to get them in as soon as possible as opposed to twiddling your thumbs and staying the failing course while they accept jobs at other clubs.

We urgently need a coach that is obsesssed with the finer details and can elevate the likes of Greenwood and Sancho by knowing how to implement a style that compliments them. I worry another "vibes" manager will crumble against the rigor of the prem.

 

[JPRouve]

I'd happily get a caretaker in (Hiddink? Blanc? Bossman from the local offy?) if it meant we can get in a young, progressive manager in the summer (aka Ten Hag). There's no reason why he wouldn't be able to get this collection of players working together, and with these sorts of managers you pull the trigger to get them in as soon as possible as opposed to twiddling your thumbs and staying the failing course while they accept jobs at other clubs.

We urgently need a coach that is obsesssed with the finer details and can elevate the likes of Greenwood and Sancho by knowing how to implement a style that compliments them. I worry another "vibes" manager will crumble against the rigor of the prem.

Ten Hag is two years older than Zidane and has managed for a longer period of time. He isn't exactly a young manager.

 

[2 man midfield]

Zidane does the coaching with his staff of nobodies Bettoni, Msaidie and maybe Dupont(Physio). He doesn't just manage the dressing room.

What sort of stuff does he coach? I watched Madrid under him but nothing really stood out in terms of play style.

 

[awop]

Yes he would. No other top club has gone near him. For good reason too. No style of play and constant reliance on top players, oh and a crap ton of luck in cup games.

Yeah if what you said was true that would be a sidestep for United.

 

[JPRouve]

What sort of stuff does he coach? I watched Madrid under him but nothing really stood out in terms of play style.

How to win games while playing like a team. How his team play depends on the players he has before 2018, it was mainly about defending deep and compact and attacking fast through midfield to the wings with overlapping fullbacks. And in 2019, it was a more defensive approach since they lacked attacking talent and a more narrow game. Zidane isn't dogmatic, so if you expect a manager that will try to force an ideology on his player like Van Gaal or Pep than he is the wrong manager, Zidane is closer to SAF.

 

[2 man midfield]

How to win games while playing like a team. How his team play depends on the players he has before 2018, it was mainly about defending deep and compact and attacking fast through midfield to the wings with overlapping fullbacks. And in 2019, it was a more defensive approach since they lacked attacking talent and a more narrow game. Zidane isn't dogmatic, so if you expect a manager that will try to force an ideology on his player like Van Gaal or Pep than he is the wrong manager, Zidane is closer to SAF.

Ok thanks for that. So he adapts to his players rather than the other way around. Makes me wonder whether that would be a popular choice with some of our fans who want a set philosophy like Klopp, say.

 

[Morty_]

It is time, United, just give him the chance.

Heck, most questioned his return to RM for the 2nd time as well, but he won La Liga on his return, and only 2 points behind the season after with a nightmare of injuries.

He may not perform miracles, but he is a very capable coach.

 

[JPRouve]

Ok thanks for that. So he adapts to his players rather than the other way around. Makes me wonder whether that would be a popular choice with some of our fans who want a set philosophy like Klopp, say.

The irony being that Klopp adapted his philosophy to the league and the players at his disposal. The way Liverpool plays isn't how his Dortmund team played.

 

[charlenefan]

What was Ronaldo's relationship like with Zidane at the end of their spell together in Madrid?

 

[macheda14]

What was Ronaldo's relationship like with Zidane at the end of their spell together in Madrid?

Zidane did want him back at Real, so I imagine it was good.

 

[charlenefan]

Zidane did want him back at Real, so I imagine it was good.

if that's true then Zidane ticks a lot of boxes

he's the only available option I'd personally be open to and given his record in the UCL who knows maybe he'd do a Tuchel for us

 

[NoLogo]

Well he at least knows how to win a title or two with CR7 in the lineup.

 

[Morty_]

Yes he would. No other top club has gone near him. For good reason too. No style of play and constant reliance on top players, oh and a crap ton of luck in cup games.

Also, consistent good results in the league, besides one single season.

But hey, it was all luck, right?

 

[redshaw]

Hopefully we're lining Zizou up

 

[kirk buttercup]

The irony being that Klopp adapted his philosophy to the league and the players at his disposal. The way Liverpool plays isn't how his Dortmund team played.

100% correct Dortmund played a very different brand of Football which proves Klopp is a very good coach and can change. Ole still is trying to work out how we should play 3 years later. We have no system just individuals. It's very very disappointing where we are again . It just seems inevitable that we will plod along with no direction . Zidane is available but we will persist with this rubbish for a bit longer yet I suspect.

 

[MrEleson]

What was Ronaldo's relationship like with Zidane at the end of their spell together in Madrid?

They had a great relationship. Zidane was one of the few coaches that was able to convince Ronaldo to rest more in lesser la liga games to preserve him for the bigger games in the latter half of the season which would explain why some of Ronaldo’s biggest and most iconic CL performances was under him.

 

[caid]

He should be one of the first choices we look at, regardless of the availability of other managers. I suspect when you have to cross off the various ones not willing to move mid season he becomes the obvious and best choice by a mile.

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

I'm not so concerned about the narrative that he relies on individual brilliance I think this team has no problem scoring goals even if we are coached by an average manager. The problem the team currently has is our disorganised and unstable defending. How good was Zidane's team defensively? Can he make us defend better?

 

[BalanceUnAutreJoint]

I'm not so concerned about the narrative that he relies on individual brilliance I think this team has no problem scoring goals even if we are coached by an average manager. The problem the team currently has is our disorganised and unstable defending. How good was Zidane's team defensively? Can he make us defend better?

Zidane's Madrid in La Liga 19/20 achieved the club's best defensive record in the past 3 decades

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Yes he would. No other top club has gone near him. For good reason too. No style of play and constant reliance on top players, oh and a crap ton of luck in cup games.

Insane post.

 

[gajender]

Thing is our squad is quite malleable you can bring any manager and with one or two additions they can have their ideal setup and even without that we have enough talent at our disposal not to let this season go to waste with a competent manager ,So anybody who thinks there would be a complete change of direction if we bring in Conte or Zidane or Ten Hag is talking nonsense, just sack Ole already before things really turn toxic if we aren't already there.

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

Zidane's Madrid in La Liga 19/20 achieved the club's best defensive record in the past 3 decades

How so? They conceded 25 goals in the league that season which had been topped before.

 

[Litch]

Maybe it's me but because he never did anything as a manager outside of Real, not sure what his ability is or whether he just inherited a really good squad.

 

[Ekkie Thump]

How so? They conceded 25 goals in the league that season which had been topped before.

He said "the club's" best defensive record in 30 years, not the league's.

 

[JPRouve]

How so? They cincrd 25 goals in the league that season which had been topped before.

He said in the last 3 decades. I haven't checked but I can tell you that they have had their best defensive record since at least 2005 under Zidane.

 

[Siorac]

Problem with Hag is that it's doubtful he'll leave mid-season. Woody tried that with Klopp, hardly ever works. Maybe in the summer, but we don't have that luxury to wait for him so long with Ole at the wheel.

We can appoint a caretaker - just don't hire him on a permanent deal if he wins a few games in a row. I'd actually love it if we had this level of planning: hire an interim manager now and start working on getting Ten Hag for next season.

 

[Brwned]

Maybe it's me but because he never did anything as a manager outside of Real, not sure what his ability is or whether he just inherited a really good squad.

But he came back to Madrid after leaving them in a mess, with Ronaldo gone, Bale on his holidays and Hazard on the treatment table, and took them from 3rd to title winners once more. He inherited a great squad and did incredible things, then he took over an ailing squad and did great things.