Manager Spotlight: Ranieri, Guardiola, Wenger & More
In the world of
English football, there’s almost as much focus on the managers as there is on
the players these days. Many of them are celebrity names in their own right,
constantly making the back pages, not only for their team’s performances on the
pitch, but for their own performances in the press room.
Here at
SportApp, the leading iOS and Android football reminder app which is available for free on
the App store and Google Play, we’re putting the spotlight on some of the most talked-about
managers. How are they doing so far? And will they still be with their club at
the end of the season?
Claudio Ranieri, Leicester City
Ranieri spent
much of 2016 walking in dreamland, after his team
overcome 5000/1 odds to win the Premier League title. But it seems that
Leicester haven’t quite managed to cement their status as a team to be reckoned
with this year. They’ve been pulled into a relegation battle, and despite
making it to the last sixteen of the UEFA Champions League, their domestic form
has been poor. How much of this is down to Ranieri? He managed to inspire the
players to a famous title last year, so we feel he’s earned enough goodwill
with the owners (and the fans) to merit another season at least – but whether
he’ll stay with Leicester if they drop down to the Championship remains to be
seen.
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City
When Manchester
City announced they were bringing Pep Guardiola to the club this time last
year, there was enormous excitement among fans and neutrals (although perhaps
not on the red side of Manchester). Guardiola is said to be the greatest
manager in the world, having developed the unstoppable Barcelona team of
2008/09 and the fantastic Bayern Munich of recent years. With his fast-passing
style that is almost hypnotic, there were those who questioned whether the
Spanish manager’s approach would suit the Premier League – and there have been
times where his team have come unstuck this season. They lost 4-2 to
relegation-battlers Leicester and were embarrassed by Everton in a 4-0 result
at Goodison. But Pep’s men seem to have found form at the right time, and
they’re firing on all cylinders as they approach the business end of the
season. Never miss a match with SportApp, the football reminder app.
Arsene Wenger, Arsenal
Having spent twenty
years at Arsenal, all the recent talk seems to be regarding when Arsene Wenger
will finally call it quits and retire. With Arsenal classed as the Premier
League’s constant underachievers, fans are starting to turn on Arsene, with
walkouts and banners showing their discontent. Many pundits claim that Arsene
prefers his team to play ‘pretty’ football, but doesn’t instil the winning
mentality into his team. Fans are also angry at his reluctance to splash out in
the transfer market – though bringing in Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in
recent seasons seems to have placated them. Will Arsene still be in a job come
August, when the Premier League starts up once more?
Jose Mourinho, Manchester United
It’s no secret
that Jose had coveted the role of Manchester United manager since his days at
Chelsea. After the club tried different approaches with David Moyes and Louis
Van Gaal, finally they let Mourinho take the reins – and many fans agree it was
not a moment too soon. United have lacked the ruthless streak and the
never-say-die attitude that made them so dominant under Alex Ferguson, and Jose
was seen as the man to put things right and bring back winning ways. The club
are currently in the EFL Cup Final, still in the FA Cup, still in the Europa
League and on an unbeaten run in the Premier League which runs back to October.
Winning ways, indeed.
Don’t forget to
set your reminders to see all the top managers in action with SportApp, the sports reminder app.