With seven managers down sacked already this season, a clutch of La Liga managers are looking nervously towards the president’s seat and praying for the thumbs to stay upright.
Ah, to be a manager in Spain. It’s not the most secure of professions you can get into really. Any slight sign of trouble on or off the pitch can see you ushered through the exit and the door slammed before you’ve made it all the way through. Likewise, especially in the case of Real Madrid, success can prove to be your downfall, as that can often not be enough.
The Primera Division has already seen seven clubs dispense with their managers this season, which could be seen as an improvement considering over half the clubs in the division have retained their gaffers.
Atletico Madrid, Racing Santander, Villarreal, Valladolid, Real Zaragoza, Almeria and Xerez have all seen fit to have a change in management over the course of the season for varying reasons. Most of these clubs have underachieved massively this season and/or struggled against relegation.
However, the list of managers who could well be next for the chop makes for far more interesting reading. The vast majority are sitting pretty up the top of the table and achieving as well as they could hope for. And for one moment, we’re going to gloss over Manuel Pellegrini and the Real Madrid managerial circus.
Manuel Jimenez heads that list after Sevilla were booted out of the Champions League in the round of 16. Having secured an admirable draw in Russia, Sevilla suffered defeat to CSKA Moscow in front of their own fans. This has given the Andalusian faithful reason to pull out the white hankies.
Yet Sevilla still sit in fourth position. Their fans may argue that they could be well clear of the chasing pack, but for plenty of dropped points at home, against the likes of Racing Santander and Getafe. Plus, Jimenez has never been the popular choice to fill the hot-seat. Since Juande Ramos was poached by Tottenham Hotspur, Jimenez has taken over and steered Sevilla comfortably to Champions League qualification. But he hasn’t delivered the trophies that Ramos brought to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
In truth the Sevilla fans were spoilt by the Ramos reign and Jimenez has had to suffer the comparisons, despite not having the likes of Dani Alves and Seydou Keita to rely upon, and Luis Fabiano flaunting himself to any major side that he has caught eyeing him. Perhaps steering his side to Copa Del Rey glory may bide him some sympathy and keep him in a job next season.
Likewise at Valencia, Unai Emery just doesn’t have the backing of the fans. God knows why. He has a financially crippled club sitting pretty in third, only bested by the powerhouses of Barca and Real. He’s managed to convince the likes of David’s Villa and Silva to stick around, as opposed to bolting to a team that can afford to pay them the money they could be earning.
However, Valencia’s style of football doesn’t seem to suit the fans. They want things more offensive. Whilst he has the attacking trident of Villa, Silva and Juan Mata, Emery has set up the rest of his team to prevent other teams attacking, as opposed to going gung-ho in search of a big win. Valencia have become very hard to beat, namely on their travels, but this has failed to appease the Los Ches faithful.
Likewise Quique Sanchez Flores at Atletico Madrid. Having taken over a club with high ambitions who had a shocking start to the season, Sanchez Flores has steered his charges to a safe mid-table position and potentially a place in the Copa Del Rey final. They have recorded wins over Barcelona (the only team to achieve such a feat) and Valencia, but still the jury remains out on his tenure at the club.
At the other end of the spectrum, Gregorio Manzano has performed miracles at Real Mallorca. With the club on the brink of insolvency, Manzano has steered the Tangerines close to Champions League football for the first time in eight years. Yet the likelihood of him remaining in charge next season seems very unlikely. Whilst Mallorca would love to keep him on for a further three years, their finances are unlikely to allow that. Manzano earns too much from Mallorca and will most likely have to be let go in the summer. However, with so many big sides looking likely can change managers in the summer, he won’t be short of offers.
And now we reach Mr Pellegrini. He could yet bring the title to the Bernabeu. But that will frankly not be enough. Champions League humiliation at the hands of Lyon and Copa Del Rey humiliation at the hands of Alcorcon have lost him any backing from the influential Madrid press, with Marca calling for the Chilean’s head.
Reported fallings out with Kaka, one of Florentino Perez’ new Galacticos, will undoubtedly see him axed in the summer, now that his trophy haul will count at one at best. Failure to land the league title will probably see him executed as well. It is very unlikely that Pellegrini will remain at the helm of Perez’ Madrid side, so the inevitable rumouring of his replacement will start post-haste. Mourinho, Wenger and Benitez have already been linked with the job, as Perez will most likely want to recruit a big name to his squad.
It looks set to be a fascinating summer of change in La Liga, and anything could yet happen. Heads could still roll before the sun comes out on a more regular basis and knowing the Spanish mentality, they probably will.