Tag: France

Zinedine Zidane turns down Manchester United job

Zinedine Zidane has reportedly turned down the latest advances from Manchester United following the sack of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, citing unpreparedness as his reason.

Zidane, alongside Mauricio Pochettino, Brendan Rodgers and Erik Ten Hag, has been a leading candidate for the United job even while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was at the wheel.

The Glazers are reported to have sanctioned the move for Zidane immediately after Solskjaer’s sack was made official, but the Frenchman’s unwillingness to move his life to England has put a roadblock between him and United. It is also reported that his wife isn’t too keen on the move to England.

Mauricio Pochettino could be key to Zidane’s return to management

Earlier reports claim that Zidane will only come out of his sabbatical earlier than planned if the France national team or the PSG job becomes available anytime soon.

TalkSPORT reports that Sir Alex Ferguson is leading the charge to bring current PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino to Old Trafford, while the club’s management is leaning more towards Zidane.

Pochettino is under contract with PSG until 2023. While the Argentine manager has played down the Manchester United talks, a positive response from him could see the three-time UEFA Champions League-winning manager back in action.

At PSG, Zidane will be managing his former captain at Real Madrid, Sergio Ramos, Kylian Mbappe, who he had tried to get for Real Madrid during his time as manager, and Lionel Messi, who he battled for four years across two stints in the El Clasico rivalry.

United should have never appointed Solskjaer, says Jamie Redknapp

Meanwhile, Jamie Redknapp has slammed Manchester United for appointing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the first place, likening the sack of the Norwegian to “shooting Bambi.”

Solskjaer’s impressive run of eight straight wins as caretaker boss after the sack of José Mourinho in the 2018/19 season earned him a contract which later turned into three-and-a-half seasons as United manager.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp came for United’s jugular after the sack was made official. “This hasn’t crept up on Man United, I’ve seen this for a long while,” he said. 

“When you look at what Liverpool have got – Klopp, Man City – Guardiola, Chelsea – Tuchel, and you’ve got a manager that’s managed at Molde and Cardiff – at one of the biggest clubs in the world, it isn’t right.

“You’re almost fighting with one hand behind your back in the big occasions and I’ve never really felt he is the right fit.

“I said at the time, one day it’s going to be like shooting Bambi and that’s what it feels like. This should have happened weeks ago.”

Mauricio Pochettino opens up about tough PSG job

Paris Saint-Germain manager, Mauricio Pochettino, has finally opened up about the pressure he feels managing the superstar in the Paris-based team.

The Argentine manager, in an emotional interview with Mail Sport (via Daily Mail) on November 17, 2021, spoke about life as the manager of the world’s current Galacticos and how the journey has been so far since he took over the reins in the middle of last season.

Mauricio Pochettino replaced current Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel at PSG in January 2021. He has since won two domestic trophies in 11 months as well as guided the club to a semi-final place in last season’s UEFA Champions League.

However, the 49-year-old’s time with the club has been subject to scrutiny due to some dull performances from his star-studded side.

However, Pochettino admits that winning all the time is expected because of the players at his disposal, but the management side of things is not easy in any way.

“When you have in your hands this type of player, it is not easy,” Pochettino told Mail Sport about the backlash received from fans and pundits after substituting Lionel Messi in PSG’s 2-1 win over Lille earlier in the season. “For us [his coaching staff], we feel the same way as when the name is different.

“When you need to make some decision to affect the player, I don’t care [if] he is a big name or a player that is at the start of his career. Of course, after, the consequence of the media or this type of thing is completely different. I understand.

“Sometimes you have to [make] some decisions that maybe make people not happy. Or maybe people are expecting different things. But that is our job. When you decide to be a coach, a manager, you know that this type of thing will arrive. But for us, it is an amazing challenge.”

Pochettino still unhappy about the circumstances of his exit from Tottenham

Mauricio Pochettino was dismissed from the Tottenham Hotspur job two years ago on November 17. The date is still etched in Mauricio Pochettino’s memory, as he spoke with emotion in the interview about the circumstances surrounding his exit from the club.

“It’s really painful,” Pochettino told Mail Sport. “Five-and-a-half years. It was an amazing journey. We could not deliver a trophy for the fans, for the club — a trophy that the players deserve, the club deserves, our president, Daniel (Levy), and of course the fans.

“All of us worked so hard to try to deliver this and we didn’t achieve [it].”

The Argentine, who still lives and operates out of a hotel in Paris 11 months into his time as PSG manager, is without his family — his wife Karina and son Maurizio — who still live in their family home in North London. This has made his time in Paris a little harder. 

Lionel Messi finally opens his account in Ligue 1

Pochettino can now have hope of a better time at PSG after Lionel Messi finally opened his account in Ligue 1 against Nantes on matchday 14 of the 2021/22 season.

Lionel Messi played a key role in helping 10-man PSG survive a late onslaught from Nantes who smelled blood following the dismissal of Keylor Navas . Pochettino cut a happy figure after the game.

“He is a great champion, the best player in the world; so he knows how to come through difficult spells. He has the patience, and it’s good that he scored,” Pochettino said in his post-match press conference.

Zidane turns down offer to replace Xavi at Al Saad

According to reports from Mundo Deportivo via Telemadrid, Zinedine Zidane has turned down an offer from Qatar Stars League side, Al-Sadd, to replace former manager Xavi Hernandez, who left for Barcelona earlier in November.

Spanish football journalist, Ramon Fuentes reported via Mundo Deportivo that Zinedine Zidane is still enjoying his break from active management, and will only return immediately to management if the Paris Saint-Germain or France national team job becomes available.

Zinedine Zidane fits the bill for Al-Sadd, who is seeking for a name as big as Xavi to take over from the Catalan, who left the club after six trophy-laden years, two of which was spent as head coach.

https://twitter.com/AlsaddSC/status/1456574716911788035?t=7lF_6Z39sRyaYqEA6jY0pA&s=08

Zidane not eager to return to coaching

Zidane got into club management dynamics in 2010 after an appeal from then Madrid coach, José Mourinho for the legendary midfielder to work more closely with the team. In the following years, he would become the assistant coach to current head coach, Carlo Ancelotti in his first stint at the club.

In 2016, Zidane was appointed Real Madrid head coach and lead the club to their most successful period in the past two decades, winning eight trophies which included a UEFA Champions League hat trick. He would resign five days after the third Champions League triumph, stating mental stress and a need for change at Real Madrid.

The France and Real Madrid legend returned to the club in 2019 after his successors failed at the club, and left active management for the second time at the end of the 2020/21 season, after leading the club to another LaLiga win, his second as a manager.

Zidane has been touted as a replacement for embattled Manchester Untied manager Ole-Gunnar Soskjaer since the start of the 2021/22 season, and only became an option for Al-Sadd after Xavi left. However, Zidane had previously expressed a distaste for management during his time at Real Madrid. At the moment, it seems the Frenchman will be enjoying a much needed sabbatical from football.

“I won’t coach for 20 years, I will retire before that,” Zidane said in a press conference during the 2020/21 season. “I spent almost 18 years as a player and I said I would never be a coach. Now I am and it wears you out a lot. We will see but not for 20 years, that’s for sure.”

Al-Sadd seeking to maintain royal status at the top of Qatar Stars League

Xavi left Al-Sadd top of the table with eight wins and one draw from nine games. The club hierarchy believes that Zinedine Zidane fits the bill in both name and managerial talent to keep their club at the top. Al-Sadd is the most successful club in Qatar winning 15 of the 50 titles that have been competed for since the league began.

Zidane, however, is rumoured to be learning English, which could mean a U-turn on his refusal to take up the Manchester United job.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta hints at Messi’s return

Barcelona FC club president, Joan Laporta has hinted at a possible return for PSG forward, Lionel Messi and the captain of Japanese League side Vissel Kobe, Andres Iniesta, following the return of veteran right-back, Dani Alves to the Camp Nou.

Barcelona signed the legendary Brazilian right-back on a deal that’ll see him spend the remainder of the season in the Camp Nou, with an option to extend for another full season. Over 10,000 fans were at the Camp Nou to witness his return to the club, where he had earlier spent eight trophy-laden seasons before moving on to Juventus, then Paris Saint-Germain, then São Paulo, before returning to the club where he made a name for himself.

Dani Alves has never hidden his love for the Catalan club and has expressed a desire to return on many occasions. His return was thanks to Xavi, who wanted to have Dani Alves’ experience back in the squad as he built a Barcelona of the future, according to President Laporta.

The 38-year-old Brazilian won’t be eligible to play for the club until January, however, but joins training with Xavi’s side immediately.

https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/1460946968792993793?t=ZpP-wby8OewAo7nr_eAYgQ&s=08

Laporta doesn’t rule out bringing the band back together

Laporta’s first tenure as Barcelona president saw a team with Dani Alves, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi as its core. He has now succeeded in bringing back two of them in his second tenure as president and hasn’t ruled out bringing the other two back to Camp Nou.

In an interview at the beginning of November with Sport, Lionel Messi discussed returning to the club in an off-field role. “I always said that I would love to help the club and be useful,” Messi said to Sport.

“I would love to be a sporting director at some point. I don’t know if it will be in Barcelona or not. Or if it will be something else. If there’s the chance, I would like to go back and contribute what I can because it’s the club I love and I would love them to keep doing well, growing and being one of the best in the world.”

Laporta, speaking at the presentation of Dani Alves at Camp Nou, said about a potential Messi and Iniesta return: “I don’t rule anything out. It happened with Dani, age is a number. They’re two great players. I can’t predict what will happen tomorrow, they’re still playing and contracted to other clubs. You never know.”

https://twitter.com/goal/status/1461084008138383365?t=BmfRG9rPrRdo6IA0eKmQYQ&s=08

Xavi could be key to bringing Messi and Iniesta back

All four players have an excellent off-field relationship, just like they had on-field when they played together in the Blaugrana colours. This relationship could be key to reuniting the band, a feat that, if pulled off, could see Joan Laporta immortalised by Barcelona fans worldwide.

Andres Iniesta has already expressed a desire to return to Barcelona in an exclusive interview with BBC Sport, a sentiment he re-echoed after Xavi was appointed manager, per Sport.

While fans can continue to dream about having these legends back in Blaugrana colours, they can look forward to Dani Alves, who has declared that his time at Barcelona is not going to be a holiday.

“I wasn’t born to be second, I was always first. I’m here to fight, I’m not here to pass time or to live in Barcelona,” Alves said during his presentation. “I’ve come here to play and fight for a place. It’s not because I made history or because of my good relationship with Xavi. I’m going to fight and try to contribute. Age is just a number. I just proved it at the Olympics.”