He is waiting for the France job.
Zinedine Zidane - 3 time CL winning manager without a job
- Thread starter Bastian
- Start date
Honestly Zidane with that level of talent will usher an era of dominance for France on the level of Spain
Won 3 CLs on the trot and a couple la ligas in the space of what, 5 years and he isn't a top manager
Most managers would kill for accolades he's won over their entire careers and he's done it in a few seasons. You don't win 3 on the trot by just having good players or luck.
Considering he’ll have a world class team to work with, think he’ll do just fine.
Would you guys take him over Ten Hag?
No
Won 3 CLs on the trot and a couple la ligas in the space of what, 5 years and he isn't a top manager
Most managers would kill for accolades he's won over their entire careers and he's done it in a few seasons. You don't win 3 on the trot by just having good players or luck.
One really cannot overlook his achievements. Speaks for itself and there is no debate to be had there. But not as a debate, it's still interesting that there are too many people that are skeptical about his tactical skills - not just rival fanboys. It's an intriguing conundrum. It maybe because of a combination of factors - his teams weren't as dominating in individual games as people would like of great managers and teams, their CL campaigns is remembered to have been helped by immense luck, he is not known to have an obvious tactical imprint on teams like other greats like pep, klopp, flick etc. Anyway there is no doubt that he's a very effective manager and it'll be interesting to see how he fares next, given the discussion about how great he really is.
Some skepticism was warranted after his first stint. It was short, after all. But in his second stint at Real Madrid he did something few, if any, had managed in decades: turned them into a defensively solid team that could grind out 1-0 wins to compete for titles.
Thats right mate. He got an instant squad and managers like SAF, Jose, Klopp and even Wenger( despite not having a CL) got there by merit. There is a reason he is not taking jobs currently. It is because he knows he would be foud out in any other team (every team except maybe City or Psg) that has a weaker squad than Real. CLs are not the only virtue in comparing top managers.Won 3 CLs on the trot and a couple la ligas in the space of what, 5 years and he isn't a top manager
Most managers would kill for accolades he's won over their entire careers and he's done it in a few seasons. You don't win 3 on the trot by just having good players or luck.
Last edited:
Yeah, I think it's fair to say that he is an excellent manager for an existing strong squad, but we know very little about his ability to assemble and evolve a squad, that's the big question about him.
Almost no manager assemble or evolve squads, it's not their job and they don't stay long enough in clubs to do it. What we do know about Zidane is that unlike almost any other current manager not named Ancelotti, he can win while using two different approaches because that's what he has done with Madrid.
The post I responded to already mentioned some: SAF, Klopp, Wenger, you can also mention Pep here as another current top manager and there are other examples of lower profile as well who stay long term and oversee the evolution of their team.
And when we talk about GOAT manager candidates almost all of them did this. You are right that not everyone does it, but those who don't are generally seen a tier below those who do and have success while doing it.
That's four managers out of hundreds, two of them being retired for a while. And the point here is about top level Football, Wenger has zero CLs despite having some of the best squads of the 2000s., Klopp has 1 CL and 1 league title in the past 7 years despite having one of the best squad in Europe for a while. Guardiola has to be a joke, not only he had a similar career start to Zidane but he has failed to win a CL outside of Barcelona despite being a massive spender, he also joined top teams that were largely built.
Because Zidane has only managed for 5 seasons, I could understand questions about his ability has a manager, though he was part of the backroom team that built the successful Real Madrid that he eventually managed. But it is asinine to act as if building teams is a normal occurrence at top level, most clubs have DOFs that are in charge of that process which is the case for both Klopp and Guardiola, we also know that managers don't stay long enough in clubs to actually build or rebuild at the top level and none of the one that have been in that position have been as successful as Zidane during a 5 season stretch.
Last edited:
All good points, and I disagree with none.
None of them should have a claim to be the GOAT, but Zidane might get there. Guardiola, Klopp, Wenger all have their flaws that prevent them getting that title, Zidane is still an unknown in that regard for me. He didn't have the opportunity yet to prove himself in what I think is missing, while the others have proven flaws.
But the point made by the other poster wasn't about not being the GOAT, it was about Zidane not being a top manager.
United fans that want him here are delusional. He just would not be the right option here and that is no disrespect to the man.
The idea that Zidane isn't taking jobs because he's afraid of being found out is completely laughable.
Every football forum has it’s quirks.
Arsenal-Mania is constantly in civil war.
RAWK is moderated like a cult
Glory-Glory is full of anti-Spurs conspiracy theories.
And only on RedCafe are Guardiola / Klopp / Zidane (and, of course, Messi) frequently accused of being overrated frauds.
Managers are not really responsible for assembling and evolving a squad, not in the modern era.
Regardless, people seem to be ignoring that Zidane did not manage Real Madrid for an uninterrupted stint. He took over the team twice. The first time, you can say the players were already there and he mostly had to fit the pieces together.
The second time, however, Real Madrid was in a period of transition. In that respect,
- He was the one who committed to integrating Valverde into the starting lineup. He played him a fair amount when he took over in 18/19 and then gave him a ton of starts the next season.
- He was the one who pushed for the signing of Ferland Mendy, who is one of Real Madrid's starting fullbacks, and began phasing out Marcelo.
- He began/continued the processes of integrating Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo into the team, at the expense of more proven players like Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez.
(also as JPRouve mentioned, he was part of RM's backroom. He is widely considered responsible for signing Varane, and always had unconditional support for recent Balon d'Or winner Benzema, back when that was a controversial position.)
Cannot think of a better fit for the French national team. He's going to win some serious silverware with them
You'd think so. He can walk into dressing rooms full of superstars and demand respect like very few others can.
Might be because we actually had a manager who was better. Klopp/Pep are constantly being compared to him. And neither have come close to that kind of longevity.
But he is a fantastic coordinator, in the same way that Ancelotti is too.
Despite the cries of the fans he ended up getting many of his recommendations and discards right.
I remember Davide Bettoni, his second, explaining tactical concepts of the 3 champions and was not at all simplistic.
As for showing the limitations...of elite coaches, I think the ones that would exceed expectations would be those of a defensive or very personalistic nature, such as Simeone, Valverde or Mourinho.
Put Guardiola in Getafe to play possession football and he becomes Paco Jémez or his beloved guru Lillo.
Or in the same way, Ancelotti, coach with more Champions League titles, didn't do anything amazing at Everton.
In other words, in the end the characteristics and profile of each coach, with their vices and virtues, make them suitable for a destination, and France is perfect for Zizou.
Sure. Though it’s literally impossible to match the longevity of someone who’s retired midway through your career - but kinda I take your point.
If we he argument was Zidane has a lot of work to do to match SAF, that would be fair enough. But to say man with a hat trick of CLs AND a couple La Ligas AND a bunch of other trophies all within five years is scared of being found out is pretty loco.
Last edited:
SAF is in a different category and likely the only elite member of that category. It's a manager that has enjoyed a prime of nearly 30 years, he was the difference maker for his clubs during that period but the top of his prime is not as high as some other managers have enjoyed. Zidane is in the category of managers that have reached the highest heights and he happens to have little equivalents, we are talking about prime Cruijff, Sacchi for Milan, Paisley at Liverpool and Guardiola at Barcelona. I could be missing someone but the point is that it is the most illustrious company and all of these managers had teams with similar level of talent when you consider each era, so it's not as if Zidane has a comparative advantage.
I fully expected Zidane to replace Deschamps as the manager of the French national team, and I also think he'll do very well in that role.
His overall footballing CV as a player / manager is already insanely good, but if he could add a major trophy as a manager with France to his collection, then wow it'll go up a further notch.
I always thought that over-time, Real Madrid's (and Zidane's) feat of 3 consecutive Champions League wins from 2016-2018 would looked more and more impressive and be recognised for how incredibly good a feat it actually was, especially as other clubs failed to win it back to back let alone 3 years in a row. Then again I also thought that there was a good chance that Real themselves would be the next club to successfully defend it again.
And like others, I thought he adapted during his second stint as RM manager compared to his first stint.
His overall footballing CV as a player / manager is already insanely good, but if he could add a major trophy as a manager with France to his collection, then wow it'll go up a further notch.
I always thought that over-time, Real Madrid's (and Zidane's) feat of 3 consecutive Champions League wins from 2016-2018 would looked more and more impressive and be recognised for how incredibly good a feat it actually was, especially as other clubs failed to win it back to back let alone 3 years in a row. Then again I also thought that there was a good chance that Real themselves would be the next club to successfully defend it again.
And like others, I thought he adapted during his second stint as RM manager compared to his first stint.
Linked to Juventus following the news that Deschamps will probably negotiate an extension to 2026
His public image has also taken a hit given he's being treated as Deschamps's rival for the job and the vast majority of French people do not want Deschamps to resign
And he surely is not winning a popularity contest with Deschamps after two back to back finals
All of that is also interesting when you consider Romain Molina said Zidane and Deschamps do not like each other at all and their respective agents literally hate each other which is an even bigger motivation for Deschamps not to resign and keep Zidane out of the french NT job
His public image has also taken a hit given he's being treated as Deschamps's rival for the job and the vast majority of French people do not want Deschamps to resign
And he surely is not winning a popularity contest with Deschamps after two back to back finals
All of that is also interesting when you consider Romain Molina said Zidane and Deschamps do not like each other at all and their respective agents literally hate each other which is an even bigger motivation for Deschamps not to resign and keep Zidane out of the french NT job
Guess it will be Brazil then.
would like to see him at Chelsea. get all the greats in England
That's weird. Why would ManUtd fan wish best for rival club.
I hope they go for someone like Lampard again or maybe Moyes.
For those who are aware of the racial politics in France, it was never a definite that he would become the NT manager.
Whats the rift between him and Deschamps?
What has racial politics got to do with this? Zidane is extremely popular.
It will be very difficult for them to swallow their pride enough to appoint a foreigner.
Going back to club football is my prediction. Why not 3rd time as a Real Madrid manager haha
He's a workshy layabout.
If he were English he'd be put in prison and declared a cnut.
If he were English he'd be put in prison and declared a cnut.
Deschamps has the job he wants.
Anything said about Zidane or Deschamps feelings should be taken with a grain of salt. They have both followed the same logic for more than 20 years which is that they don't talk to papers unless they have to and it rarely happens.
The caf is an interesting place like that. Almost everyone related to football has been called an overrated fraud on here.
If you look past the football discussions, in any discussion about videogames, anime, movies etc., you will find the same theme there as well, that everything is called crap or overrated.
Maybe the quirk of the Caf is that people just don't like anything and nothing is actually good
I’ve lurked on here for years and only became a member in 2022. I think there are many knowledgeable posters here with interesting opinions. But I do find this particular trait fascinating.The caf is an interesting place like that. Almost everyone related to football has been called an overrated fraud on here.
If you look past the football discussions, in any discussion about videogames, anime, movies etc., you will find the same theme there as well, that everything is called crap or overrated.
Maybe the quirk of the Caf is that people just don't like anything and nothing is actually good