OT: Zidane steps down from Real Madrid
So.... that was unexpected. In the greatest coaching mic drop we have seen in some time, Zinedine Zidane, known to most casual soccer fans for the head butt that got him a red card in the 2006 World Cup final, has resigned as manager of Real Madrid, just a few days after they won their third consecutive Champions League. He was only at the helm for three years, making his trophy case that much more impressive. Can't think of a recent American sports equivalent, though I hope my fellow mgobloggers can chime in.
BBC full coverage: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44315700
Great News!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Raback it
That is not happening. Maybe Les Bleus after the WC or Juventus after a year off.
Let us have this one pipe dream.
That'd be fucking amazing.
That or his son plays for the U20 France team that the US team was playing
Well an highly unlikely equivalent would be Steve Kerr retiring after the Warriors win the Finals for the 3rd time in 4 years, but he ain't doing that... or is he?
Rumor has it that he is going to join Beilein's staff next year so he can learn some actual offense.
Huh?
Honestly makes sense for him. Even going into the semis and final of the UCL, there was still talk out there if he had to win it to keep his job and the like. Just the nature of being there -- have to win everything every year to feel safe. While I would trade losing la liga and the copa del rey every year for the rest of time to keep winning champions leagues, that's a tough ask of anyone.
While the league format is probably the fairest way to judge how good a team is (especially in soccer where everyone plays everybody home and away), there is an argument to be made for teams who excel in tournament formats. Also, Liverpool went unbeaten against the top teams, so in terms of form were probably better than their league showing.
He did say that it is harder to win La Liga than it is to win CL.
I don't know; it seems like it's really difficult for anyone other than the Spanish big two to win the UCL.
I don't know, UCL is a huge deal worldwide. League titles are easier forgotten.
Should be easy to find out, though. Ask fans in Barcelona and Madrid whether or not they'd trade spots this year. My guess is that Barcelona fans would give up another La Liga title for another UCL win.
Historically speaking that tends to work out. When people analyze the resumes of managers and players, UCL titles get more attention. Partly because of how big it is, and partly because it is won against an incredibly high level of competition. Real might've been shaky this year but they have left the smoking corpses of Juventus and Bayern and Liverpool in their wake. Those are pretty neat scalps when compared with, say, Sevilla and Valencia.
Sarri would be a very interesting move. With their talent and money to spend, it would be entertaining football. Then again, it could blow up as Sarri is a very provincial manager. is personality could clash with Perez. Wherever Sarri ends up, its going to be interesting..especially if its at a big club.
He just signed a new contract and Spurs sources are saying that he doesn't have an out clause if RM do come with an offer. Maybe if this was a few years down the line, sure, but definitely not right now.
did the job. go west young man.
Heven't seen a good explanation for this. Only real fact we know is that his contract ended after this season, i.e., now. Presumably contract-renewal talks have been ongoing behind the scenes.
I'll guess he doesn't want to sign a new three-year contract with Real because he wants to take over Les Bleus in 2020 when Deschamps's contract ends. Sooner if they crash out of the World Cup early. Nobody's rooting for that, and they should win their group easily, but you never know.
While Deschamps's job is secure at the moment, he's not all that popular in France. There is a feeling that he doesn't have a coherent style of play and doesn't get the most out of a lot of his players (OTOH, a couple of guys like Giroud seem to play better for him than with their club). It would probably take a disaster in the group stage for him to lose his job this year but a parting of the ways in 2020 could well happen.
Real is an unbelievable pressure cooker. Even after winning the Champions' League his first two years he was on the hot seat (!) for having a subpar Liga campaign. Which is nuts - the guy's been unbelievable as a manager.
I would guess he'll sit out a couple of years and then take over as France's manager. Or maybe PSG?
Are you sure he isn't faking it?
Are you saying he is a bald fraud?
Winning a world cup, world footballer of the year, blah blah blah, right?
The head butt is part, and only part, of a complex and rich tapestry of his career worldwide. Kind of like how The Decision is a part of Lebron's legacy, but by no means all of it.
Zidane could end up the most successful footballer of all time. I'm not sure there's the talent coming for a real French renaissance but if he brings France a world cup title as manager he will be up there with Napoleon.
France doesn't lack for talent. They could win it all this summer.
No real comment either way about the body of your message, but I totally agree with the headline. It's a pity that we in America haven't been too connected to the Messi/Ronaldo rivalry, which might be the best personal/team rivalry of any sport ever.
Seriously, two of the top 5 players of all time playing on bitter rival teams that are both winning Leagues and UCLs? Incredible stuff. Every year.
Smart on Zidane to leave now. Staying on top in soccer is a whole other pressure.
Arsenal is my #1 and Real my #2, if Wenger goes there that would be insane!
As a fan of a franchise who did not understand what a "down year" or "down period" is until we REALLY experienced it, this might be the most ridiculous instance of a manager being pressured to resign.
Auburn got rid of Gene Chizik two seasons after winning the national championship. However, he did have a really bad season in there.
I know you said American but....Leicester City fired Ranieri months after winning the Premier League.
Cannot really think of too many more
It'd be like if Steve Kerr won three consecutive titles and then Steph Curry and Kevin Durant were on the verge of leaving/retiring. He's getting out of there before it gets rough.
I think it's a good move. A club like Real would boot him at the halfway mark during this next season if they were both knocked out of UCL and not in first in La Liga. There's more downside than upside in staying at Real. Clubs in rebuilding phases offer a lot more time and patience (e.g. Morinho at Man Utd and Klopp at Liverpool) whereas at clubs coming off multiple titles, the smallest dip in performance lands you on the hot seat. Hopefully he finds a good landing spot.
Though, I always have appreciated Zidane's approach as a player and now more specifically successfully managing a team of superstars and egos.
Unfortunately for me, he has done an amazing job at Real and the fact that there were rumblings of a "hot seat" for him this year seems nuts to me. That is a tough fanbase to please.
Love the guy, his style of play, his unique skillset, his passion on the pitch; and also the way he has been a calm, circumspect coach on the sidelines for Real. Yes, his warrior mentality got the best of him when he head-butted the clutching, taunting Materazzi, but I'm not sure I wouldn't have done the same thing given the same circumstances (but how ironic that he coached the same style of player - Ramos - on the way to three CL championships).
And now he chooses to go out a winner - brilliant! I just hope RM don't succeed in poaching Ponchettino from Spurs!
I heard today that Pochettino signed an extension with Spurs last week, which hopefully means Spurs would get a huge windfall from a buyout clause should he jump to RM.