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Following the sacking of the former Brighton boss, Chelsea are once more in the market for a permanent manager. Here are five leading candidates for the Stamford Bridge dugout.
For Chelsea owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, Saturday’s defeat against Aston Villa proved the final straw. Having seemed for so long like trust in Graham Potter was unimpeachable, the Blues leadership finally pulled the plug, and are once more in the market for a figurehead for their project.
In the interim, Bruno Saltor will take charge of the first team. However, considering the former Brighton defender has no experience whatsoever at a high level, his chances of taking he role on a permanent basis are negligible at best.
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20:10 - 02.04.2023
Goodbye Graham! Chelsea end Potter nightmare
Chelsea part ways with head coach Graham Potter following poor run of games
Lucky for Chelsea, then, that, at this time, there is a booming market of high-profile out-of-work managers who would jump at the chance to fill the dugout at Stamford Bridge. Here are five of the most eligible contenders, in order of suitability for the role, and ruling out obviously unrealistic options.
Luis Enrique
The former Spain manager has been out of work since leaving La Roja after the World Cup, and is in huge demand all over Europe.
Luis Enrique, a former Champions League winner with Barcelona in 2015, has the experience of not just managing big egos that Potter lacked, but also of doing so at the very highest level. Stylistically, he is of the Spanish school: a 4-3-3, lots of attacking movement and interplay, and an emphasis on possession befitting the modern game.
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It is unlikely, given his idiosyncrasies, that the 52-year-old would be willing to take the job right away. He would likely prefer to have a preseason; Chelsea are still in the Champions League, and so cannot afford to write off the rest of the campaign altogether. He also has not managed at club level for six years now, and would need to reacquaint himself with the frenetic rhythm of day-to-day management.
Mauricio Pochettino
The former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss addresses every potential asterisk against Enrique, even though he has not enjoyed the same degree of success as a manager.
Mauricio Pochettino has the experience of managing in England that Enrique lacks, and is more adaptable. As such, his system would require less time to lay down, and he is less than a year removed from managing at PSG; he would therefore be more amenable to jumping right in.
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In the negative column is his aforementioned weak trophy output (league titles in France are a given with PSG), as well as the fact that his style failed to translate in Paris when he had a higher quality of player than at Spurs. He also struggled in big games, especially away from home. Those are considerable caveats.
Julian Nagelsmann
Fresh from being cut by Bayern Munich less than two weeks ago, Julian Nagelsmann is the sexiest name on this list, and has already had his name discussed by the Chelsea hierarchy according to reports.
It is easy to see why: the Bavarian is a coaching prodigy who is highly regarded within the game for his tactical acumen, as well as his results so far in what is still a young career. That would no doubt appeal to Chelsea’s American owners, especially considering they have leaned into a project built on youth; Nagelsmann’s best work came at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, where he overachieved with young squads. There is also the fact that, still smarting from the matter of his sacking at Bayern, the 35-year-old would likely relish the chance to redeem his image.
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Concerns exist, however, over his communication skills and man management, especially in light of his stint at Bayern, as well as the occasional lack of ruthlessness of his teams.
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane has proven wildly successful in his managerial career, being far and away the most decorated manager in this shortlist.
The legendary former France international is a multiple Champions League winner, and also has a La Liga title on his resume. Even aside from that, on the strength of his name alone, he would command the respect of any dressing room in the world, and is very much a student of the Carlo Ancelotti school of quiet leadership.
Why then is he so low on the list?
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Well, it is not clear that Zidane would even want the job. He has been vocal in his desire to take the France job, and while that door is closed in the interim, he will be in no rush to take himself off the market, especially with the Euros coming up next year.
There is also his lack of managerial experience outside of Real Madrid, which is a huge asterisk against his name.
Antonio Conte
A sensational return to London and Chelsea? It would not be the worst idea in the world, considering Antonio Conte is the last manager to bring league silverware to Stamford Bridge.
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The former Juventus boss, who was only just relieved of the job at Tottenham, is widely considered a ‘winner’, and would not be shy to lay down the law and raise the competitive level at Chelsea. His methods are draconian and he is a drill sergeant, but he gets results. While it did not end well at Tottenham, the club’s lack of real drive and cohesion at board level ultimately made his position untenable. It is unlikely that he would be starved for signings were he to return to Cobham.
That said, his methods are indeed draconian, and he is a difficult character to work with. His unwillingness to take no for an answer, his constant cantankerousness and his lack of warmth can be useful in the short term, but it would be grating for Boehly and Eghbali to deal with on a medium to long-term basis.
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