World Football Report
Gündogan bids Tschüss to the Bundesliga
Premier League fans, whether supporters of Manchester City or otherwise, have been awaiting Pep Guardiola‘s arrival. It hasn’t taken the new manager long to announce the signing of Ilkay Gündogan from Borussia Dortmund, with the fee believed to be around £20m.
With Gündogan having dislocated his knee cap in early May, there were doubts on his fitness for Germany’s Euro 2016 campaign. Apparently, Manchester City were satisfied enough with his treatment and current condition to complete the deal in advance of the Euros, a tournament in which Gündogan will not be a part.
Gündogan had only one year remaining on his contract.
— Ilkay Gündogan (@Guendogan8) June 2, 2016
The Return of Di Matteo
Former Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo will be announced as the new manager of Aston Villa on Friday. After interviewing several candidates, it is expected that Steve Clarke will also be announced as his assistant.
Di Matteo returns to the Premier League after being without a managerial role since he left Schalke at the end of last season. Clarke, who had been at Reading until his demise in December, offers some experience at Premier League level.
The Aston Villa position became available after a dismal season which ended without manager Rémi Garde, who was sacked in March, after a paltry two wins in 20. Tony Xia, the expected new owner of the club, has promised funds—a lot of funds—to return the club the Premier Leauge.
The Courting of José Mourinho
Manchester United would like to see José Mourinho on the Old Trafford sideline beyond his three-year contract, with the hope of re-igniting a new dynasty. Of course this would be a sharp change for the normally flightly Portuguese manager who seems to have a self-invoked three-year maximum term.
What’s interesting is that United had the same position with both David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, both of whom danced with United bosses much like Mourinho is doing now. The club was intent on having each fill the void long-term, yet neither were available long enough to fulfill their obligations—Moyes lasted only 34 games.
It certainly seems that both sides are on the same page, seeing as how Mourinho stated upon his return to Chelsea:
“I would like [to stay with Chelsea], say, 12 years. The best way to [run a club] is to do it with stability. For the players, if you want to help them grow up, you do that much better with stability: in ideas, philosophy, model of play, style of leadership.”
Of course his return was ended prematurely.
He continued by citing the situation with Moyes having taken over at Manchester United as an example of a club who will be calm and patient with their manager.
“You look, for example, to Manchester United and everybody feels David [Moyes] will have his time to do his work in a calm way. I think that’s fantastic.”
Knowing what we know about Mourinho, the last bit may just have been tongue-in-cheek. In modern football, the old guard of long serving coaches like Sir Alex Ferguson and the often-ridiculed Arsene Wenger seem to be the way of the past. Results are key, and without them a manager’s position will always be up for deliberation.
