It seems at the moment that half of the teams in the Premier League will have new managers next season.
I exaggerate slightly when I say half but some very big clubs are on the look out for bosses at the moment.
Liverpool
First we have Liverpool, who dismissed club legend Kenny Dalglish earlier this week.
According to reports in today’s media Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers has turned down the chance to be interviewed for the position.
The team from Wales have played some fantastic football in their first back in the top flight and Rodgers has built a team on a relatively small budget. It seems however that he is happy where he is and is unwilling to take up the massive challenge at Anfield.
The Reds have already approached Wigan’s Roberto Martinez about the role and are expected to interview the Spaniard in the next few days. Martinez is regarded as one of the brightest young managers in the British game.
He has kept Wigan in the Premier League for the last three seasons, despite working on a shoestring budget and the club attracting tiny crowds for much of his tenure in charge. The 38 year-old, just like Rodgers, has developed a team that plays attractive, passing football.
Liverpool have also been linked with former-Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas. The young Portuguese boss was highly-rated before his ill-fated stint at Stamford Bridge. He is currently on the look out for a new club.
Young
There is a consistent theme in the bosses that Liverpool owners FSG are looking at, they are all young managers. One problem that comes with young managers is that they obviously lack experience. Martinez has had just three seasons in the top flight and Rodgers just one.
Villas-Boas didn’t even last a full season at Stamford Bridge. If the Liverpool owners appoint a young manager then they must understand that they will need time to learn their trade and build a team.
Unfortunately in the Premier League most managers don’t get that much time to get things right. If the Liverpool board appoints Martinez and it’s all going wrong in the first few months of the season are they going to panic and sack the Spaniard?
If they do then that means Liverpool will have to find yet another manager, who will have yet more new ideas and it won’t be good for the club at all.
It’s going to be hard for Liverpool to find the right manager this summer. The wrong decision and they could be back to square one next summer.
Villa
Aston Villa are also on the lookout for a new boss after dispensing with the services of unpopular boss Alex McLeish. McLeish never stood a chance, considering the fact that he had got local-rivals Birmingham relegated the season before he took charge of Villa.
The Scot was never going to be a success at Villa Park but Villa now have the tough task of finding a replacement for the former-Rangers boss. The Villans top target was Roberto Martinez but it now looks like he is set for Liverpool, plus the Spaniard turned down a move to the Midlands last summer.
The new favourite is Molde boss and former-Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian has only been in charge of Molde for a season but helped his first club claim their first ever league title.
Solskjaer would be a very interesting appointment. Prior to his move to manage Molde, Solskjaer was part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United coaching staff. The young boss has obviously learned a thing or two from his old boss.
However he will have to learn very quickly in the cut-throat atmosphere of the Premier League. Hopefully Villa boss Randy Lerner will give Solskjaer funds to strengthen a very weak Villa squad. I’m sure he will be a more popular appointment than last summers new arrival.
Chelsea?
Despite leading Chelsea to a FA Cup final win and the Champions League final Roberto Di Matteo’s future as Chelsea boss is still in doubt. The noises coming from Chelsea seem to suggest that no matter what happens on Saturday night in Munich Di Matteo will be replaced as Chelsea boss.
The interim boss deserves the chance to manage the team next season, after inspiring a turnaround in Chelsea’s fortunes in his short stint in charge. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich wants Pep Guardiola, but the Spaniard is set for a break from football.
I don’t see why Chelsea don’t give Di Matteo a chance and then if it doesn’t work out Guardiola will likely be available next summer. However it looks unlikely that will happen and it seems certain a new manager will heading for the Bridge this summer. Who that new man is I just don’t know.
The Premier League managerial merry-go-round has always been a good talking point, but at this moment more than any it’s absolutely fascinating. And there is bound to be more movement over the summer.
These clubs have to make the right decision, if they don’t then they could face another season of underachievement. Over to you club owners, the decision is yours!
Who will be the biggest managerial mover this summer?
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