et, with this acquisition spree, the club’s playing pool inevitably has started to take on a bloated look. Since the release of five players at the end of last season, only Antonio Colak has been moved on. It leaves Beale with more than 30 senior personnel – a figure he considered far from ideal over his first since month in charge as he stated a desire to operate with a far leaner squad. To reach that point, decisions will require to be made on a number of likely fringe performers … at best. Scott Wright’s departure seems set in stone, but beyond that there appears seven players with currently uncertain Ibrox futures. Below we detail the situations for those in that category:
Glen Kamara
The end for the Finnish international at the Govan club has been declared nigh for months, but still no concrete bid for the midfielder has materialised. Beale said last week there had been “quite a few enquiries” for the 27-year-old, whose time in Scotland is patently up. Leeds United have been credited with a strong interest but perhaps the issue is ponying up the fee Rangers are seeking for a player signed from Dundee for £50,000 in January 2019. It has been reported that a £5million buy-out clause was inserted into the improved four-year deal he agreed two years ago. It is a stretch to see any club parting with that for a player whose career has stalled in the past year, which may explain the limbo he finds himself in. Rangers may require to drop their asking price significantly to move him on.
Rabbi Matondo
The winger feels firmly the odd man out among the phalanx of attackers the Rangers manager will now be able to call upon. It is impossible to believe that the Welsh international will be in the mix for minutes as Danilo is poised to join newbie attackers Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Abdallah Sima, with Fashion Sakala and Kemar Roofe also in tow. It simply hasn’t worked out for the 22-year-old since his near £3m move from Schalke last summer and he doesn’t look to possess what is required to thrive at Ibrox. As someone therefore likely to be no more than a wage drainer, Rangers must be prepared to cut their losses and accept a cut-price fee to resolve his unhappy situation.
Ianis Hagi
The bald fact is that you require to go back a year-and-a-half for any significant contribution to the Rangers cause from the Romanian international, hardly his fault with a serious cruciate ligament sustained in January 2021 costing him a full 12 months of his career. Yet, it feels as if the Ibrox side have moved on and that this provides the playmaker no real in – despite Beale handing him a new contract in December last year as he worked his way back to fitness. The 24-year-old’s name in itself should ensure he retains value and attracts suitors. Recouping the £3m they paid Racing Genk for him three years ago might be best for all parties.
Robby McCrorie
It must be agonising for both the 25-year-old keeper and the club he started training with aged only 14 that a parting of the ways appears inevitable. Rangers cannot give the Scotland under-21 international what he wants, and needs, following his considerable patience at hoping his chance to earn first-choice status through impressing on loan, and proving his capabilities when selected. He did all he could as regards the former through loan spells with Berwick Rangers, Greenock Morton and, more recently and notably, Livingston. He did all he could as far as the latter goes as also in never looking short of the required attributes across his outings in the past two years. A sequence – bolstered by four-game run at the conclusion of last season – in which he conceded only one goal and contributed to two wins over Celtic. Beale, though, ultimately decided it would be too great a risk to elevate him to no.1 for the coming season and, with Jack Butland handed that status, he has deemed it necessary to seek pastures new.
John Lundstram
Rangers ought to have learned lessons through being burned financially in allowing Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Jack when it comes to dealing with players in the final year of their deals. The Englishman is in that position, with no strong indications he or the club are pushing to agree on an extension. The impending arrival of Jose Cifuentes, and the additions across 2023 of Nicolas Raskin, Todd Cantwell and Kieran Dowell, coupled with Ryan Jack’s return to the fore and Tom Lawrence comeback from long-term injury, would appear to have pushed the 29-year-old Englishman down the pecking order for earning a regular midfield slot. Especially with the desire for youthfulness and energy accented by Beale. Earning a fee for him now – after he was brought in as a free agent two years ago – and also saving on his salary would appear to make sense.
Fashion Sakala
Rangers may not want to act hastily with the decidedly mixed-bag Zambian forward, even as some seem desperate to push him to the exit door. As the quicksilver frontman proved with a goal and penalty-winning contribution in the 2-1 friendly win over Hamburg last weekend while all the club’s summer frontline recruits were in action, the 26-year-old can be useful. He has been, too, as an impact player in the past. In contrast to all the recent arrivals in his area of the pitch as yet being unproven. Of course, if that mythical £4m bid from an unnamed Saudi Arabian club ever became reality, it could be a different story. Until such times, though, he seems worth retaining.
Kemar Roofe
The horrendous injury record of the Englishman dictates that he isn’t a player to be moved on as he enters the final season of his current deal. The 30-year-old’s luckless run with physical ailments frankly would seem to preclude him holding a sale value. His opportunities could be limited by the transfer splurge on forwards but his keen eye for a goal could yet mean he still has a role to play in the forthcoming season, albeit a limited one.
Borna Barisic
The third senior player on Rangers’ books now in the last year of his contract, if the recent speculation was to be believed a £1m offer from Nottingham Forest meant he was destined to be removed from said books. It has gone quiet in recent days over this offer from the English Premier League club. And, with the service the left-back has provided across five years at Ibrox, it could be worth discovering if he would consider a Jack-style one-year extension.
According to a report from Liverpool Echo, Thiago Alcantara is on the radar of Sevilla and Real Sociedad. It was also stated that the Spanish veteran is said to have admirers in Saudi Arabia, although he has firmly declined offers from the Middle Eastern league, stating that he has no intentions to leave Anfield this summer. Moreover, Thiago was linked with a return to Barcelona over the past week, but there have been no further developments in that direction.
Thiago’s Disappointing Season At Liverpool In The Last Campaign
Thiago experienced a disappointing period with Liverpool in the previous campaign, struggling to make a significant impact in the Premier League. The 32-year-old’s productivity for the Merseyside club was hindered by injuries, resulting in him making only 21 appearances across various competitions last season.
Despite the challenges, the Spanish midfielder’s abilities deserve recognition, as he displayed impressive statistics. In the Premier League, he averaged 1.2 dribbles, 0.9 shots, 2.4 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, and 0.7 clearances per 90 minutes. Moreover, Thiago showcased accuracy in distributing possession from midfield, completing 86.5% of his attempted passes in the English top tier, as per stats via whoscored.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 26: Thiago Alcantara of Liverpool shoots at goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Liverpool FC at London Stadium on April 26, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Should Klopp Sanction His Exit?
Thiago continues to play a vital role at the Merseyside club, but his age becomes a significant factor when considering the impact of a potential departure. At 32, he is reaching the later stages of his career, raising questions about his ability to perform at the highest level consistently. Losing a player with his wealth of experience and technical skills could create a void in Liverpool’s midfield, as his composure and vision have been valuable assets to the team.
The Spanish veteran faced challenges finding his rhythm due to injuries and disrupted match fitness, limiting his influence on games and preventing him from showcasing his full potential last season. However, it is worth noting that with a fresh start and improved fitness, his performance may be resurgent.
In their efforts to rejuvenate the midfield, Liverpool has made notable additions like Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer. Nevertheless, Thiago could serve as an excellent mentor and understudy to these young talents, offering valuable guidance and experience as they develop within the team. This is why Jurgen Klopp has agreed to keep him at Anfield, as the benefits of retaining his services outweigh the risk of losing him for free next summer.
West Ham are under threat in their pursuit of Denis Zakaria from Juventus after Fabrizio Romano reported a new bid going in from Monaco.
The Swiss, who spent last season on loan at Chelsea, is one of numerous midfield targets for the Hammers this summer, but had looked to be one of the closest to completion.
It now appears to be a head-to-head choice for the 26-year-old after the Ligue 1 side, managed by his former Borussia Monchengladbach boss Adi Hutter, entered the race with a concrete bid.
Reporting via Twitter on Tuesday evening (25 July) Romano wrote: “EXCL: AS Monaco have submitted first bid to sign Denis Zakaria from Juventus. He’s among priority targets for the club as Adi Hütter knows him well.
“Zakaria will now assess options. Many clubs want him — West Ham also negotiated with Juventus to sign him. Up to the player.”
Competition
This is exactly the risk with playing the transfer market as the Hammers are currently doing, as being moderately advanced on moves with multiple target at once leaves the club open to hijacks.
If Monaco are seen to be acting decisively in the pursuit of Zakaria, likely to replace another player linked with a Hammers move in Youssouf Fofana [L’Equipe, 27 June], then they may look the more attractive option.
And the fact that Hutter has managed the exit-bound Juventus man before in the Bundesliga is another link that might hand Monaco that advantage.
It appears that West Ham are far enough down the line for them to still be a viable option should the Swiss international decide he wants a return to the Premier League.
But, while there is of course potential competition for all targets the longer the door is left open, it looks it has now got very real in the Zakaria race.
The latest development likely leaves West Ham with a choice between making a concerted final effort to convince both player and club that the London Stadium is right for his next move, or to quickly turn their attentions elsewhere.
Super Eagles’ captain, Ahmed Musa, has slashed the price of petrol per litre at his filling station in Kano.
Naija News reports that the 30-year-old professional footballer announced the reduction of the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) via his Twitter page on Monday.
Musa revealed that the product is sold at N580 at MYCA7, his petrol station in Kano, against the N620 per litre price in the state.
“Fuel #580 @MYCA -7 Filling Station Kano,” Musa wrote on his verified Twitted page.
The footballer is presumed to have reduced the price of fuel to provide succour to vehicle owners in the state.
It was gathered that motorists and citizens of Kano have been expressing their gratituted to Musa’s gesture.
The PUNCH quoted a citizen of the state, Usman Muhammad, to have said: “It’s a welcome development; I can now save some money instead of buying at a higher cost,” after buying the fuel.
Naija News understands that Musa’s action has also sparked reactions on social media.
Curious with the announcement, a Twitter user, Scala [@lakaas123], enquired, “How manage Alhaji? N580 in Kano when not in Lagos? Are you whining us?”.
Musa, however, replied saying “That is what me I decide to sell my own.”
Musa currently plays as a forward and left winger for Turkish Süper Lig club Sivasspor and the Nigeria national team.
Recall that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had announced an increase in the petrol pump price to N617 per litre a few days ago, a development that has caused more untold hardship for Nigerians.
Paris Saint Germain have accepted a €300 million offer to sell French striker, Kylian Mbappe to Saudi Arabian club, Al-Hilal.
According to sports journalist, Fabrizio Romano, PSG accepted the mouth-watering offer and gave the player permission to discuss personal terms with the Saudi club.
The offer which will be the world transfer record if completed includes other performance-related bonuses.
Should he accept the offer, Mbappe will become the highest paid player earning €700 million per year.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid and Arsenal are leading in the race to sign the Frenchman.
Mbappe earns around €100 million net per season. Madrid reportedly agree to pay 250 million for Mbappe.
Mbappe has for long signaled he is not interested in staying beyond the end of his current contract with the Parisians.
Al Hilal already signed Matheus Pereira from West Brom for €18.00m.
Former Liverpool midfielder, Patrik Berger, could not hide his joy after meeting with some Nigerian young footballers in Lagos on Saturday as part of his two-day tour of the city.
Berger, popularly called ‘the Bomb’ in his playing days, was visiting Africa for the first time.
He told journalists at a dinner organised by Standard Chartered Bank, the official sponsors of Liverpool, that his visit to Nigeria was rewarding.
“I am so excited to meet with those kids of between seven and 17 years. They are wonderful children. I saw great talent in some of them, and I would love to see one or two of them play for the Super Eagles and Liverpool very soon,” he stated at the event held in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Berger, a Czech, said: “Specifically, I came to Nigeria to have a training session with the children.
There are so many Michael Owens around the world and it will be great we have one from Nigeria. I thank Standard Chartered for this Expedia tour.”
He described former Nigerian star, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, as one of the greatest African footballers ever.
“I played with Yakubu at Portsmouth and I must say he is one of the greatest African players I ever met. He is so strong, played with passion and he usually crack jokes with us on our way to training.”
Berger started his career in his own country with Slavia Prague and spent a season in Germany playing for Borussia Dortmund. He moved to England in 1996, where he spent seven years with Liverpool, winning four trophies.
Asked if he will join other of his colleagues in the coaching business, Berger said: “No, I will never go into coaching because the job is too demanding. I will rather continue with my fishing business and also inspire young children who are interested in playing football.”
Speaking at the event, Head Corporate Affairs and Brand Marketing, Standard Chartered Bank, Aderugbo Dayo, thanked Berger for the tour, just as she expressed her appreciation to the kids and everyone who made the event a success.
We are back with more Women’s World Cup tips as the action continues in Australia and New Zealand. Next up is Germany vs Morocco which takes place at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Germany come into this clash as the number 2 side in the world rankings. It is no surprise to see them as the red-hot favourite to beat a Morocco side ranked 70 places below them. Our betting expert offers up their three best bets for this Group H clash.
Germany vs Morocco Betting Tips
Morocco +3 Asian Handicap to win @ 8/11 with Bet9ja
Alexandra Popp to score FIRST @ 29/10 with Bet9ja
Under 3.25 Asian goals @ 23/20 with Bet9ja
Stubborn underdogs to make Germans work for the win
Germany have featured in every edition of the Women’s World Cup since it began in 1991 and have won it twice. Only tournament favourites USA are ranked higher than Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s side hence their very short odds to open their campaign with a win.
However, there is reason to be cautious in adding the Germans on a big minus handicap to our predictions. They have lost two of their last three friendlies. Defeat to Brazil was followed by a victory over world ranked number 32 Vietnam but only by a 2-1 scoreline.
The real shock came in their last warm up fixture. Falling to a 3-2 defeat to Zambia who at 77th are ranked four places lower than the opponents here.
Morocco qualified after finishing as runners-up at last year’s Women’s African Cup of Nations. Taking the +3 Asian Handicap makes plenty of appeal. Meaning this bet only loses if Morocco lose by four or more goals.
Germany vs Morocco Bet 1: Morocco +3 Asian Handicap to win @ 8/11 with Bet9ja
Take Alexandra to pop in the opening goal
Alexandra Popp missed last year’s Women’s European Championships final after injuring herself in the warm up. Prior to that the Wolfsburg hot-shot had scored in all five rounds leading to the final. Including both goals in her nation’s 2-1 win over France in the semi-final.
After returning to full fitness the 32-year-old was in prolific form domestically. Firing in a league high 16 goals from 21 Frauen-Bundesliga appearances. Also putting Wolfsburg 2-0 ahead in the Champions League final they ultimately lost 3-2.
She has showcased how she loves scoring on the big stage and she can underline her return for the national team by opening the scoring here.
Germany vs Morocco Bet 2: Alexandra Popp to score first @ 29/10 with Bet9ja
Morocco to keep things tight against
It was Morocco’s attacking play that caught the eye in their journey to the final of the African Cup of Nations last year. Ghizlane Chebbak ended the competition as both player of the tournament and its joint top scorer.
Her outstanding delivery from set pieces and creativity from open play is seized upon by Rosella Ayane. Standing at 1.80m the Tottenham star is an obvious threat in the air but she also possesses great pace.
In preparation for this tournament, it seems the focus has been on defensive solidity. The Atlas Lionesses have played seven warm up internationals in 2023 conceding only four goals. Keeping four clean sheets across those fixtures too.
Determined not to start their campaign with a heavy defeat, expect Reynald Pedros’ team to work hard and keep the game as tight as possible for as long as possible. Their fate will not be decided by losing to the group favourite Germany but it could be on goal difference.
Completing our tips for this game with the selection of under 3.25 goals on the Asian line here means we only lose if there are four or more goals. Exactly three goals would see half the stake returned as a winner with the other half refunded. Fewer than three goals gives the full win.
Germany vs Morocco Bet 3: Under 3.25 Asian goals @ 23/20 with Bet9ja
Germany vs Morocco Odds
Odds correct at time of publishing and are subject to change.
Victor Osimhen has made a new demand to Napoli over the terms of his new contract with the club.
According to Sky Italia via The Mirror, the Super Eagles forward has demanded that a 120 million euros (approximately N105.8 billion in Nigerian currency) release clause be inserted into his new contract which is different from Napoli’s proposition.
According to the report, the Italian champions intend on inserting 200 million euros into the new deal which would make the striker become one of the most expensive footballers of all time by the time he leaves the club.
Besides the release clause which is one of the reasons a new deal has not been agreed between the Nigerian striker and the Italian giants, there is also disagreement regarding his salary.
As earlier reported, the Partenopei had offered a 7 million euros per year salary which has been deemed insufficient by Osimhen.
The existing contract of the Super Eagles forward expires in 2025 but Napoli don’t want to throw caution to the wind which explains why they want the contract extended.
While parties still have their differences over the terms of the new deal, there is optimism that an agreement will finally be reached.
Nottingham Forest signed Nigeria defender Ola Aina on a free transfer on Saturday after his departure from Torino.
Aina agreed a one-year contract with Forest as he returns to the Premier League after his spell in Italy.
Aina spent nearly five years with Torino after initially moving there on loan from Chelsea in 2018.
The 26-year-old right-back graduated from Chelsea’s youth academy and made three appearances for the Blues.
During his time with Torino, London-born Aina returned to the English capital for a loan spell with Fulham in the 2020-21 season.
He is the first signing by Forest boss Steve Cooper since the end of last season.
“I’m very excited to be here and I can’t wait to get started. I wanted to be back on English soil again and Forest is a club which has an exciting project and team,” Aina said.
“The manager as well, what he wants from the team is something which I want to buy into. He’s told me it’s a family club, he’s told me we have a great bunch of players and he’s told me I’ll enjoy it here.”
Aina, who has 17 caps for Nigeria, helped Torino to a 10th place finish in Serie A last season.
“He’s a versatile player who has good experience of the Premier League and Serie A,” Cooper said.
“He’s a really good player, but a good athlete as well. He’ll definitely make the team stronger.”
Liverpool legend, Graeme Souness has predicted the position Chelsea will finish next season on the Premier League table under their new manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Chelsea finished in the second half of the Premier League table last season.
The Blues will not play European competition this 2023/24 season.
However, Souness, who believes the 2023/24 season will be difficult for Pochettino, expects Chelsea to maintain the same position this season like last term.
“It’s a very difficult job for the manager at Chelsea this year,” Souness told the Sky Bet Fan Hope Survey.
“I look at that club, and the direction they’ve gone – it just seems to be a mismatch of players that were available and very expensive.
“Chelsea was paying a premium, because of their reputation and standards. I don’t see them doing any different than they did last year.”
Hinata Miyazawa scored twice as former champions Japan smashed Women’s World Cup newcomers Zambia 5-0 in a rampant start to their campaign on Saturday.
Japan were a class above the 77th-ranked Africans, creating a slew of chances with their sharp movement and passing in a performance that will have the tournament heavyweights on alert.
Three of the goals came through sweeping upfield movements as Japan scored more than twice in a World Cup game for the first time since the 2011 tournament in Germany, when they lifted the title.
Midfielder Miyazawa bagged her first midway through the first half from an Aoba Fujino assist to put the Nadeshiko a goal up at the break.
Mina Tanaka doubled the lead from Jun Endo’s cross, bringing some relief to the forward, who found the net twice earlier in the match, only to have both strikes ruled out by belated offside rulings.
Tanaka turned provider for Miyazawa’s second goal and Endo drilled home the fourth in front of a crowd of 16,111 in Hamilton.
Substitute Riko Ueki scored the final goal from the penalty spot after she was brought down by goalkeeper Catherine Musonda in the final minute of stoppage time.
It resulted in a second yellow card for Musonda, whose replacement Eunice Sakala made a spectacular save from the spot but was ruled to have moved too early.
Ueki made no mistake with her second attempt as Japan moved to the top of Group C ahead of Spain, who beat Costa Rica 3-0 in Wellington on Friday.
A youthful Zambian side entered the tournament with high hopes after beating Germany in their final warmup game.
However, the lowest-ranked side at the 32-team tournament didn’t create a single clear chance, capping a miserable week in which key attacking midfielder Grace Chanda was ruled out of the tournament with illness.
Kylian Mbappe has been left out of PSG's pre-season squad to tour Japan, according to a report.
Mbappe has caused controversy over the last few years with the French side, regularly expressing his frustrations with the club about various topics.
His latest complaint came when he said he would be leaving the club when his contract expires next year if he is not sold in this transfer window.
PSG have since pleaded with him for a decision that suits both parties to be reached, but little progress has been made on a call that is important to both club and player.
According to L'Equipe, the French champions have left Mbappe off of their squad list for their pre-season tour, making the decision on Friday evening.
Kylian Mbappe has reportedly been let out of PSG's squad for their pre-season tour of Japan
FIFA has claimed it has sold out of partnership packages for the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with its programme featuring 30 companies following a series of late deals.
Hublot as official timekeeper for the third consecutive edition of the tournament, and Itaú as bank supporter in Brazil were the last two commercial affiliates to join the partnership programme, taking the number of FIFA Women's World Cup supporters up to 14.
They are joined by FIFA partners Adidas, Coca-Cola, Wanda Group, Hyundai and Qatar Airways, women's football partners Visa and Xero, and nine global FIFA Women's World Cup sponsors.
FIFA has not provided a monetary value for its partnership programme, but it represents an increase from the 12 companies which held sponsorship or supporter status for the last Women's World Cup in France four years ago.
Its chief business officer Romy Gai thanked the partners for their support.
"Together, we all share a commitment to developing women’s football at every level, and everyone involved has built extensive plans to spread the word, develop the game and shine a light on the beautiful game," he said.
"This promises to be a special tournament, and I thank all of our supporters, sponsors and partners for joining us on this journey."
Chief women's football officer Sarai Bareman said "at every level, they will help us grow the game and give more women and girls the opportunity to play".
In the days leading up to the tournament, FIFA finalised deals with Mengniu Group and Booking.com as Women's World Cup sponsors and the Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) as a Women's World Cup supporter.
Chinese dairy product manufacturer Mengniu previously sponsored the men's FIFA World Cups in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, and was already a partner of China's team which is making its eighth appearance from nine editions of the women's tournament.
The Booking.com deal is expected to provide easier access to accommodation for supporters in the tournament's nine host cities, with 60,000 listed on the travel agency's platform in Australia and New Zealand.
Insurance company GEICO is set to serve as a supporter of the tournament in North America, which includes a commercial campaign with the legendary Carli Lloyd, who won two Olympic gold medals and back-to-back Women's World Cups for the United States before retiring in 2021.
FIFA has also revealed details of its plans with Visa to make the tournament in Australia and New Zealand the first-ever cashless World Cup.
It claimed this will allow fans to "benefit from the speed, convenience and security of digital payments", and Visa cardholders will receive offers including a 10 per cent discount on FIFA retail and fan festival purchases when they use Visa to pay.
Critics argue cashless retailers penalise people without access to bank accounts or debit or credit cards and fear there are risks related to privacy and cybersecurity.
Fans carrying cash at the FIFA Women's World Cup can exchange local currencies to AUD$25 (£13/$17/€15) or NZD$25 (£12/$15/€14) and AUD$100 (£52/$67/€61) or NZD$100 (£48/$62/€56) pre-paid Visa cards.
The FIFA Women's World Cup is featuring 32 teams for the first time, and is set to run until August 20.
Record-breaking ticket sales have been reported, although FIFA is believed to have fallen around $100 million (£78 million/€90 million) short of its target for broadcast rights fees.
Managers don't matter. Just ask the best manager in the world.
"I will tell you a secret," Pep Guardiola said in October. "The main thing is the quality of the players." He went on: "I try to figure out things, but at the end the players ... the success we had is because we have top players. This is the secret, no more than that."
Now, "managers don't matter" is a bit of a rhetorical overstatement. Manchester City wouldn't have won as many points last season if you were managing the team. Meanwhile, Chelsea probably wouldn't have finished higher in the table had they given you the reins rather than Frank Lampard after firing Graham Potter. Rather, what Guardiola is suggesting is that talent is the main driver of team success. Framed another way, player skill overwhelmingly decides what wins games. In fact, the authors of the book "The Numbers Game" found that player skill (as represented by wages paid) accounts for 70% of team performance. Somewhere in that remaining 30% sits the effect of the manager, along with other factors like, say, the random, and flummoxing bounce of the ball.
Managers do matter -- just way less than we think. And the limited impact makes that impact even harder to measure. In a league without a salary cap, and with massive team-to-team financial inequality and vastly differing team-building ideals, we can't just look at where a team finished and say, "The best manager finished first, the worst manager finished 20th."
Instead, we have to try to control for all of the other factors that influence winning. We can't do that with anything resembling precision because of all of the unknown factors that influence winning -- for example, is a player great because he's inherently great or because the manager deployed him in a way that made him great? -- so we're going to try a slightly different exercise.
And so, I've ranked and tiered all 20 Premier League managers by how confident I'd be that they would improve the 10th-richest team in the Premier League.
No-doubt improvers
Among the 20 managers in the Premier League, there are only two who I'm sure would improve the 10th-best team in the Premier League beyond their talent level. And those are the two best managers in the world: Pep Guardiola (Man City) and Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool). This exercise requires a ton of projection, and I really only have a small degree of confidence in all of the other tiers, but there's really no argument that anyone else belongs in this tier.
That said, such is the shape-shifting nature of managerial influence that there are some arguments against both of these coaches being in this tier.
With Pep, it's simply that we've never seen him do it. He's by far the most successful and most influential modern manager in the world. The ClubElo coach ratings also rank him as the best coach -- by a combination of how good his teams were and how much they improved after he arrived -- in the history of the sport. It's just that, well, he first had maybe the greatest player and the greatest midfield in the history of the sport at the same time, at Barcelona. At Bayern Munich, well, they have so much more money than everyone else, and they've won every league title since he left. And at Manchester City, he has the near-unlimited funding of a sovereign wealth fund.
I raised this idea to a former Premier League manager a few months ago, and he ... completely rejected it. Guardiola is easily the best coach we've ever seen at maximizing top-level talent, but as he suggested, so many other teams farther down the table have adopted some of his principles, too. If Brighton can play possession soccer and succeed with it, you can't really say that Pep Guardiola wouldn't do a great job at Brighton.
Klopp, meanwhile, has never coached the richest team in his own league. He's the last manager to beat Bayern Munich and Manchester City across a full domestic season. And he did a fantastic job at Mainz before Borussia Dortmund, too. Last season was probably his "worst" season as a manager -- he didn't really seem to figure out how Liverpool should play until the last couple of months -- but on the whole, he's just fantastic. One of the all-time greats. He's probably the best culture-builder in the sport, too.
These guys both now have decade-plus track records of success across multiple leagues, multiple countries and multiple tactical eras. No one else on this list comes close to that.
Failed at PSG -- but succeeded (almost) everywhere else
Mauricio Pochettino (Chelsea) and Unai Emery (Aston Villa) are sort of the anti-Guardiolas. Like every other manager in Paris since Qatar took over, they both flamed out at PSG. But the rest of their careers have mostly seen steady improvements at lesser-resourced clubs.
Pochettino was fine with Espanyol; then he seemed to transform Southampton into one of the most exciting teams in the Premier League, and then he seemed to transform Tottenham into one of the most exciting teams in the Premier League. We've already seen him succeed with two teams right around the realm of resources we'd be restricting him to in this exercise.
Mauricio Pochettino reveals all on the challenges he's facing in his new role as Chelsea manager.
So why am I not more confident? Well, Ronald Koeman was quite successful for Southampton right after Poch, and this was during the club's golden age of recruiting. Then: How much credit should he get for coming in at Tottenham right when homegrown Harry Kane was blossoming into a superstar?
Emery, meanwhile, failed at Arsenal, but it's not like Mikel Arteta immediately did much better; they were awful the following season, too. Plus, taking over for Arsene Wenger was a near-impossible job, given that he was the last remaining capital-M manager, the kind who had a say in everything major that happened at the club. Outside of that, Emery has overseen improvements at Almeria, Valencia, Sevilla, Villarreal, and now Aston Villa. The latter featured an incredible in-season turnaround last year -- but how much credit should he get for it?
I'm pretty confident that neither Emery nor Pochettino would make our hypothetical team worse. I'm less confident in just how much they'll improve the performance.
