The best managers currently available: Mourinho, Zidane, Conte…
There are an abundance of world-class managers who are currently out of work and are weighing up their next move before throwing their hats back into the ring.
Liverpool and Barcelona are currently on the hunt for their next bosses, with Jurgen Klopp and Xavi both set to step down at the end of the season.
Some of these managers have been out of work for quite some time and will surely be itching to get back in as soon as possible. We’ve picked out 10 of the best managers who are currently available for work right now. We’ve added speculation about where we could possibly see each of them.
Jose Mourinho
The Special One was recently relieved of his duties at Roma following an inconsistent run of results. Mourinho is rarely out of the game for long and he’s already being linked with a number of vacancies.
A return to the Premier League cannot be completely ruled out and it’s been known for quite some time that he has his admirers in Saudi Arabia too. Football is a better place with Mourinho in it, fingers crossed he finds a new job soon.
We could see him at: Premier League, Saudi Arabia, international
Zinedine Zidane
The legendary Frenchman has been out of work since his last stint with Real Madrid in 2021. He won a total of 11 trophies throughout his two managerial spells with Madrid, including three Champions League titles.
It’s currently being speculated that Zidane could take the Marseille job on the condition that the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) successfully takeover. Watch this space
We could see him at: Marseille, Real Madrid (again)
READ: Ranking all 12 of Zinedine Zidane’s signings as Real Madrid manager
Antonio Conte
Following his dramatic exit from Tottenham, Conte has been out of the game for almost a year now. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him back in the Serie A in the near future.
According to La Repubblica, Conte rejected an approach from Roma while they were sounding out Mourinho’s replacement. It remains to be seen where the Italian boss will end up next.
We could see him at: Juventus, international
Graham Potter
Potter has kept a fairly low profile since being let go by Chelsea earlier this year. His reputation was at an all-time high this time last year as he laid the foundations for Brighton to kick up the Premier League.
Despite his reputation taking a knock at Stamford Bridge, we’re sure that he’ll be back in no time and with a point to prove. The 48-year-old turned down the Lyon job last year and seems to be holding out for a vacancy in the Premier League.
We could see him at: Premier League
Joachim Low
The German manager hasn’t worked in club football since 2003–04 when he was the manager of Austria Wien. His 15-year stint as the Germany manager peaked in 2014 with their World Cup triumph.
Low told German outlet Kicker: “I already have the intention of taking on a task in football again. The fun in this sport is too much for that.
“I feel motivated again when I watch football now – that wasn’t the case for a few months. If I feel a task appeals to me, I’m ready and attack again.”
We could see him at: Bundesliga, MLS, International
Frank Lampard
Lampard did well to keep Everton up during the 2021-22 season, but there’s no denying that he lost his way during the following season. Having managed three clubs during his five-year managerial career so far, his next move will be interesting.
We could see him at: Top-end Championship
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
The 50-year-old manager has been out of the spotlight since losing his job at Old Trafford in 2021. He is currently working as a technical observer for UEFA but seems keen to get back into management at some point.
Solskjaer told The Athletic: “I’m doing a lot of coaching, four times per week, and we have three teams. I’m helping the kids, who enjoy it. You see a different side to football, the grassroots – except it’s all plastic pitches here. You see the brightness in their eyes, they listen to you, they want to learn.
“I’ve had offers [to return]. Most recently, two from Saudi Arabia. My best mate, who is also my agent, sifts through them. If you’ve managed Man United, you put your own criteria about what you want to work with.”
We could see him at: Premier League, Saudi Arabia
Hansi Flick
The German boss did a tremendous job with Bayern Munich, winning seven trophies during his two-year spell with the club. Unfortunately, his spell with Germany was less successful.
Following a disastrous run of form on the back of Germany’s sup-par 2022 World Cup campaign, the German FA made the decision to sack Flick last year. Barcelona are said to be among the clubs monitoring the German coach.
We could see him at: Barcelona, Bundesliga, international
Ruud van Nistelrooy
The 47-year-old spent one year in charge of PSV but left the club at the end of last season. During his time at the Dutch club, Van Nistelrooy won the KNVB Cup and Johan Cruyff Shield.
It’s fair to say that the former Manchester United forward is a relative rookie in the managerial game, but he did show some signs of potential during his stint with PSV.
We could see him at: Eredivisie
Laurent Blanc
Following a poor start to the 2023-24 campaign, Lyon were quick to pull the trigger on Blanc. The 58-year-old coach will now be assessing his options for the future.
We could see him at: Ligue 1, Saudi Arabia, international
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