Chelsea sack Potter: who should be the next manager?
Having sacked Graham Potter, Chelsea are on the hunt for a new manager again. Who should it be?
When the Roman reign ended at Chelsea, fans predicted that Todd Boehly wouldn’t have the same cutthroat approach to discarding managers and that long-lasting projects could finally be built. After all, no manager under Abramovich lasted for more than three years. Boehly would have to be more patient, right? Wrong. Thomas Tuchel, having been allowed to spend £250m on his squad in the summer, was sacked after just six league games. You would’ve thought that Tuchel had some credit in the bank after having won the Champions League with Chelsea and reaching two more finals with them. Apparently not.
In came Graham Potter from Brighton. His high-flying Seagulls played an attractive style of football and he signed for Chelsea as the most expensive manager of all time. Fast-forward six months and a 40% win rate later and Potter is the latest on a long list of dismissed Chelsea managers.
This leaves The Blues in a familiar position where they have to appoint yet another manager, their tenth in their last twelve seasons. Chelsea sack and appoint managers so regularly that hiring a new manager won’t be a problem, yet hiring the right manager will be. Here’s my evaluation of the candidates.
Mauricio Pochettino:
Pochettino was in charge at rivals Tottenham between 2014 and 2019. He delivered Spurs fans the most exciting team they’ve seen this century. With his brave, attacking philosophy, football was rarely dull and he led the team to the Champions League Final in 2019.
Pros:
1. He has an exciting philosophy consisting of fast, attacking and exciting football.
2. Pochettino is renowned for strengthening youth and trusting them. Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk, Reece James, Noni Madueke and David Datro Fofana, Wesley Fofana and Carney Chukwuemeka are just some of the elite talents that could form the core of Chelsea’s side for the next eight to ten years under Pochettino.
Cons:
1. He managed rivals Spurs and it is possible he wouldn’t traverse London across to Chelsea.
2. Pochettino struggled to manage the big personalities at PSG which led to his sacking. Chelsea not only has big personalities, but they have A LOT of them. Their squad is 30 players deep right now and most were signed for big money. Poch may struggle to deal with them.
Julian Nagelsmann:
Recently sacked by Bayern Munich, one of the most exciting young managers in the world is now without a club. Nagelsmann, now just 35 years old, took Hoffenheim from relegation battles to the Champions League. He then led RB Leipzig to the Champions League Semi-Finals.
Subsequently, the young German was appointed by Bayern Munich for his most prominent job yet. He boasted a 71% win rate, the fourth-highest in Bayern’s history, and won the league in his only full season at the club. Despite some poor performances post-World Cup, he was sacked in contentious circumstances. Nagelsmann will no doubt be a success elsewhere.
Pros:
1. Nagelsmann is young and has the potential to build a long-lasting and fruitful project with Chelsea
2. He employs an exciting playing style consisting of possession-based, high-tempo, attacking football.
Cons:
1. One of Bayern’s grievances about Nagelsmann was that he was more of an older brother figure than the father figure that some of the players needed. Chelsea’s squad certainly consists of players who right now need serious leadership, especially due to the size and youthfulness of the squad.
2. Nagelsmann has no Premier League experience, having only managed in the Bundesliga.
Roberto de Zerbi:
De Zerbi arrived in the Premier League relatively unknown and has quickly become one of the hottest managers in world football. His Brighton side is thrilling. The football is exhilarating and the results are just as impressive. The Seagulls are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and are in contention for a Champions League spot.
Pros:
1. De Zerbi has worked with Mykhailo Mudryk before at Shakhtar and could be the man to unlock the best of him
2. His free-flowing, fun-to-watch football is exactly what Chelsea fans need having seen their team, rich in attacking talent, be so poor in front of goal this season. Chelsea have only scored ten league goals since the turn of the year, and Brighton has scored 21 (in fewer games).
Cons:
1. Chelsea have already hired a Brighton manager mid-season THIS season and so doing the same thing twice in the same season could prove unfortunate. Brighton would also be reluctant to let him go.
2. Chelsea’s more successful managers recently have been those that have more experience at winning trophies elsewhere. De Zerbi is a talented manager but his most impressive managerial accolade has been winning the Italian third division. Chelsea would need to invest a lot of time into De Zerbi and Boehly isn’t a patient man.
Zinedine Zidane:
From one of the greatest players of all time to one of the most successful managers of all time, Zidane has an exceptional footballing CV. He won everything as a player and then won three Champions League as a manager with Real, as well as two La Liga’s.
Pros:
1. Zinedine Zidane is one the greatest players ever and players would be incredibly keen to work with him and learn from him.
2. He clearly knows how to win games and trophies. Put simply, that is what Chelsea needs.
Cons:
1. Zidane has an unbelievably impressive trophy haul but he has only managed Real Madrid, the greatest Real Madrid side of the century. With prime Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema, Kroos, Modric, Casemiro, Ramos and many more at your disposal, it is difficult not to win trophies and so there is still doubt over his ability to manage a side without some of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
Luis Enrique:
The 2015 UEFA Coach of the Year, Luis Enrique is no joke. Enrique managed a 76% win rate over three years at Barcelona, an incredible figure. He also won two La Liga’s and the Champions League. Enrique has mentioned that he would be open to a move to the Premier League, and Chelsea is certainly an interesting prospect.
Pros:
1. He has a wealth of experience and would be able to guide Chelsea’s players through this difficult time
2. He plays an exciting counter-attacking style of football, which would suit Chelsea’s fast wingers and exciting full-backs, such as Marc Cucurella and Reece James.
Cons:
1. Enrique has had clashes with big figures at both Barcelona and the Spanish national team. The last thing Chelsea needs right now is internal conflict and you could imagine conflict with Boehly arising.
2. Enrique has never lasted more than three years in one job. The last Chelsea manager to last longer than two left in 2015. Chelsea need a manager to rebuild the side and be the core of the club for a long time. Is Enrique the man for that?
My Choice: Julian Nagelsmann
When I wrote an equivalent article for Tottenham last week, I made the same suggestion, appoint Nagelsmann. Now that Chelsea is looking for a manager as well, I am going to reiterate that one of the two sides needs to appoint him.
To me, he seems the obvious choice. He’s young but already has a host of different experiences in the footballing world. He creates an attractive style of football, is well-versed in the modern game and would be open to a move to the Premier League. His potential arrival would see him, Guardiola, Arteta, Klopp and Ten Hag battling it out in the Premier League for what would make for incredibly exciting, tactical affairs. He could create a project at Chelsea which is long-lasting and reunites the fanbase. Todd Boehly, it’s simple. Appoint Nagelsmann.
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By Nicky Helfgott
